Saving Chickamina

There are more uses for Preparation H than I thought were possible.

Since raising chickens six years ago, I have encountered a lot of ailments including Bumble foot, torn-off toenails, injured heads from being pecked and colds. But I have to say, one of the worst things I have seen has been a chicken who has prolapsed.

What does prolapsing mean? Well, in an eggshell, according to The Chicken Chick, “a hen's oviduct turns inside out and protrudes through the vent.” It can be caused by a number of factors including laying very large eggs. The condition is serious and can be fatal.

A week ago, I discovered my favorite chicken, Chickamina, had succumbed to a prolapse. Chickamina is the only chicken in my flock who has a name and has turned into a pet. Out of all the chickens in the world, why did this have to happen to Chickamina? My heart sank to my knees when I discovered the problem and I started to cry. What could I do to help my beloved Chickamina?

Chickamina is unlike any other chicken. For one thing, she loves being held and petted. But more importantly, Chickamina loves me. She follows me around the coop like a dog. She comes when I call her name. She even makes a path through all the other chickens to get to me. If you put a little football helmet on her head, she would look like she's going in for a touchdown. Some football teams could use a player like her.

Chickamina is unusual in the fact that she is a bit of a loner chicken. Every night 37 of my hens congregate to the back part of my coop to roost. However, the 38^th chicken is missing. Where is she? Well, Chickamina is comfortably sitting on the second rung of a ladder on the other side of the coop looking out the window. I like to think that she is a star gazer. I wonder what kinds of things a chicken wishes for on a shooting star? That just may be one of the biggest mysteries of life.

So, when I close the coop door up at night, I bid all 37 goodnight on the one side of the coop. I feel like a member of the Waltons clan saying goodnight. However, I have more than one Elizabeth, Mary Ellen and Erin. After I'm done wishing everyone goodnight and telling them what good hens they are, I proceed to the next window where my Chickamina is sitting. I may be a little biased but I think Chickamina is in a league all of her own; she is a little better than all the rest.

So, when I discovered Chickamina's ailment, I was horrified. I even put a post on Facebook about my sad news. Chickamina and I have visited schools and my church educating people about chickens. So, this was sad news for a lot of people. Let's just say a lot of prayers were being sent up to Heaven for a little Klucker Farms girl named Chickamina. A friend of mine even did a little research and told me to try hemorrhoid cream. My cousin concurred in an all-out effort to save Chickamina.

So, I borrowed my husband's hemorrhoid cream, which believe it or not, he didn't want back. I segregated Chickamina and brought her into my garage infirmary. I then started smearing cream on her protruding insides.

It wasn't until a few days later, that I started seeing some improvement. Her oviduct was shrinking in size. And when I came home from work one day, it was all back inside her vent. My prayers were answered. Words cannot express my insurmountable joy. However, I still am keeping a watchful eye on Chickamina, but everything seems to be back to normal.

So, along with my chicken remedies of pine tar and Blue Kote, a tube of Preparation H will forever be sitting on the shelf. Thank God for his blessings on Chickamina and thank God for George Speri Sperti, the genius behind Preparation H.