Chicken Sitter

My parents have chickens. I'm beginning to learn that a lot more people have chicken coops in there backyards here in Vegas than I would have ever guessed. None the less, Carson loves to play with them. And by play I mean he chases them while they try to run from him. It's quite the sight to see, cracks me up every time. My parents were headed out to girls camp so the kids and I had chicken duty. Pretty simple gig. I open the door, they run out and play in the grass while I change out their water, give them food and collect the eggs. They usually do well during the Las Vegas summers... when it's like 105, not 120 outside! My mom warned me that a few might die in the heat wave. What?! Seriously?! Gross.

Day 1-Wednesday. The kids were sleeping when we got there. So I took them inside and they watched tv while I did my thing, until it was time to go home and Carson insisted on feeding them. So they got a little extra bird seed on the ground today.

Day 2 - Thursday. Every thing was so going well. Carson was running around the backyard singing the chicken dance. He is too funny sometimes. I really think he thought they would turn around and sing back to him. Brynlee is deathly afraid, and wants nothing to do with them. That's my girl! I had to sit her on a chair instead of the grass because she would just scream bloody murder if one came within eye sight of her. This was our funnest day with the chickens. The kids loved playing and they were all still alive. (Oh man, that sounds so heartless).

Now, this crazy bird got herself stuck between the chicken coop and the garden fence. Ahh, if she would have only gone in the coop like she was suppose too. I had to find a stick to help her out :)

Day 3 - Friday, also known as Doom's Day. Luckily, Carson went swimming with Grandpa Shields so it was just me and Brynlee off to feed the chickens. Brynlee fell asleep on the way over so I just left her in the air-conditioned car (I can pull my car through the side yard and into my parents backyard so I could see her/the car the whole time). When I first went in was signs of trouble the black bird was laying down and not like normal. But she moved and looked at me so I thought to myself phew she's hanging in there. I watered her down, moved the fan on her and she even got up and moved outside but then laid in the shade. She looked sick but alive. I continued with my routine... changing out their water, filling their food containers and went to get a bowl for the eggs. I turned the corner to where the nesting boxes are and bam, a little bird lay dead in the box. I was so grossed out! Eww, I ran away like a girl. After gaining my composure, I went back in cringing at the sight and hurrying just to get the eggs in the surrounding boxes and not hers. As I turned to walk out is when I saw them, screamed and totally ran. TWO more were laying on the ground in the corner dead. I hurried the rest of the chicks back in the coop and was out of their at lightening speed. I felt so bad for the little birdies. I don't particularly care for them, but it was totally breaking my heart to see them suffer. I got some frozen jugs of water out of my parents' freezer and scattered them to snuggle against. And thankfully, my brother Matt came over later that night to dispose of the other poor things. Dead Count: 3 with 1 in not so great condition.

 

Day 4 - Saturday. Today we had THREE more casualties. Black bird was still hanging on, but in the back room three more were dead in the corner (Carson thinks they were sleeping).  The heat wave was just unbearable for them and it made me so sad. Luckily, my parents were on there way home and my mom could give them more needed attention than me. She has since been hosing them down every 2-3 hours during the day and my dad put a swamp cooler in the coop to survive this miserable heat. I am a lover of Vegas summers, but these record nasty temps are definitely something I could live without. Bring back 105 degrees.

I think this saying above the chicken coop door should have been changed to "where all the HOT chicks hang out!"

This is my cute hot chick. My poor kids, either white or bright red nothing in-between.