A California Fossil In Nevada

So I went out this afternoon to pass out some bread to the chickens, and noticed that Pong, our 14 year old white Frizzle mix banty hen, was not showing up for goodies--unusual for her, since she has no idea she's a living fossil and doesn't hesitate to shoulder the lesser hens out of the way and assert herself when it's goodie time.

A quick search of the nest boxes and we found her.  She didn't want to stand up, so off to the house she was whisked for Chicken Inspection.

She was nice and fat and seemed perfectly healthy, and when offered food and water wolfed it down like nobody's business.  But she still didn't want to stand, so I suspected an injury--Cam, our huge Giant Cochin/Americaunas mix roo is seriously in love with her and cannot get it through his love-addled head that she is well past the point of lay and is a dignified, retired old lady.  So he keeps jumping her and he's so darned big, he just squishes poor Pong.

Blossom, our Silkie mix hen who is currently in the house nearly recovered from Head Boink, decided to posture and growl at Pong and Pong tried to hurry away--limping on her left leg. Aha!  Suspicions confirmed. It appears to be a thigh injury, high up in her body.  Hopefully, Cam The Dunce didn't break the old lady and she'll bounce back in a few days.

Meanwhile, she's in the house (although being kept seperate from Blossom to avoid any further injury since Blossom is kinda being a dick), getting goodies, pets, warmth and loads of tv to watch.

And since she is, it's picture time! We hatched Pong in March 2003. She had an identical sister named Ping.  When they were little they looked like two little ping pong balls, so they came by their names naturally. Ping passed away a few years back so now it's just Pong.

Pong's main claim to fame is when she posed in 2003 with her hatchmates for this series of pictures--a bunch of baby chicks in a Peeps box. When everyone else eventually climbed out, Pong decided the Peeps box was lovely, thank you, and plonked down for a bit.

She's a grand old lady now, very beautiful. Daddy was a buff Frizzle bantam Cochin, mama was Moet, our Frizzle Bantam Cochin.  Pong came out mostly white with a black tail & wings, and a lovely black speckled cape.

Pong declined to stand for picture time, understandably.

Cute old lady face.

And some high-quality Chicken Glare!

She hasn't lost her touch...

After this it was time for grapes and scrambled egg...good food for healing! This pleased her somewhat and she cheered up.  Kinda.

That's better!