We must close the chapter on ChickaBoo. Virtually from the incubator until the internment about two months later, ChickaBoo had to live in a modified tube sock harness with his feet and wings confined. He would try to scratch when he ate and bang his legs and feet up against the feeder. He would move around and his wings would get into the water and get himself and everything else soaking wet. So, I found that by confining the feet and wings, Chicky could eat and drink better and not hurt himself.
    It was a constant struggle to try to achieve a position for the harness that gave him balance and confinement and not cut into his legs from the constant movement he made. As ChickaBoo grew heavier, more stress was placed on heavy contact points of his body in the harness.
    One evening I devised an open "hammock" style harness in which I simply cut two holes for the legs and sat ChickaBoo down in it. He couldn't jump or fly out, and his legs and wings were free for the first time. I observed how it was working and it seemed to be doing great. Chicky seemed to be comfortable with the tilt and balance. I told Becky that I thought I had finally found something that will work that will give freedom and all the room for growth that is needed. I was happy to have something that would work and give freedom. It was a balmly moon-lit night, so I left ChickaBoo on the screened-in front porch.
    The first glimpse of ChickaBoo the next morning told me something was bad wrong. It was apparent that an all night struggle for complete freedom had ensued, only to leave Boo Boo's "one and only" completely exhausted. I could not get Chicky to eat and drink except for just one or two pecks. ChickaBoo died later in the day.
    Destined to be free--ChickaBoo flew away to where there is no confinement.
    I had put a lot into little Chicky--preserving the eggs, the electricity going off during incubation and having to set up a generator, and egg-sitting for hours during the early morning, the constant care required for a world-famous paraplegic chicken, and more. Like the passing of Boo Boo, it seemed that ChickaBoo's passing was just not what was supposed to happen. But it did, and life goes on. The life and legacy of Boo Boo and ChickaBoo will live on.
    And how life goes on with Boo Boo's and ChickaBoo's backyard fowl family! And that brings us to a whole new chapter in the life and legacy of Boo Boo. There is some very interesting and colorful carryings on in the fowl family of Boo Boo. Continue to read on to learn more of Boo Boo's Fowl Family.
    Sweet Pea has had two batches of chicks. Of the first batch there is Jerry Lee, Maybelline, Peggy Sue, and Blanch. There were some leftover eggs that I incubated and some that I put under Maria who was setting. I put some duck eggs under Maria the hen. So from it all we got T-Bo, Luego ("later" in Spanish), and the Four Quackers. Then, that whole second batch....There's never a dull moment. Events ebb and flow and life goes on.

    The debut of Boo Boo and ChickaBoo, and of course, of my sister "Sis" coming along at just the right time, brought a blessing and a laugh to many, always to be savored and enjoyed. So there's a lesson in it for us all: Believe for the best, give it your 100%, and learn to enjoy the journey, and in the name of Jesus, live forever.

Back to web index         Next article