So, I'm writing this entry on Sunday, August 12th and it's been kind of a stressful summer, chicken wise. Both Thelma and Louise got sick, so I've become quite the expert at giving antibiotics, rimadyl, and calcium supplements to my girls. Thelma got 20 days straight of medication and now Louise is on 10 days straight of medication and both girls are on 30 days straight of calcium support to strengthen and nourish their little bodies. I think they are responding and they are back to enjoying their garden and yard. I've learned more about how better to care for them and I've visited two veterinarians that I think are skilled and wonderful for them -- Dr. Orosz and Dr. Reicherd. I especially like the latter and think he has excellent coop-side manner.
The other sort of stressful thing is that I've been attending city council and city planning sub-committee meetings all summer to try and get my ordinance passed so that my chickens can be legal. That's okay, but I don't much like conflict, so it always takes a toll. There's this retired organizational psychology professor who is often quite mean at the lobbying visitation -- and he's said that it's only taken him 10 seconds to find that it's illegal to keep chickens and that I'm a lawbreaker who should be punished. I don't much like hearing mean comments like that or hearing that people are writing mean comments in letters to the editor or that they are leaving flyers against my "vermin-attracting" girls on cars in town. But I do like my chickens. So, it's worth it. I'm having my own little Henry David Thoreau summer, I guess. I can't imagine not having these girls, so I hope it all works out!