OK -- remember the protestations on my part that I did NOT want a chicken, did NOT desire a chicken, and yet, things being what they are, I have a chicken. Naming her was probably what clinched the deal. And intractable as she is, I feel responsible for her well-being.
Being the researchy type, of course I found out what chickens like to eat and adjusted appropriately. Apple bits - check. Celery tops - check. Broccoli - double check. And sprouted mung beans of course. All this on top of regulation chicken feed and mealworms and any assorted veggies I happened to come across.
I was also aware that chickens take dust baths as their version of fluffing up their feathers and getting rid of parasites and such. Ninja makes quite the production of it. During my research, I discovered that making a bath with sand and soil and diatomaceous earth (and wood ash which I don't happen to have), was a terrific thing to do for the prima donna type. So, one trip to the hardware store for all-purpose sand, play sand, and diatomaceous earth later, I was sifting dirt from the backyard to make it fine enough to mix with the other ingredients. BTW, this is as close to cooking as I get. Operation sifting:
Living on the corner as we do, people are so kind to dump all sorts of trash and junk they don't want. Every now and then, it's actually something we can use. In this case, it was a tire. Apparently they make great bathtubs for dust baths. Several buckets full filled it nicely and I even added some dried lemon balm to entice her highness in. Well, what did you expect? She only drinks out of the pool (a pan) I made her to cool down in for the summer, so why would she use the dust bath? Oh she stands next to it and sort of looks it over, but so far has resisted the lures of a well-appointed tub. Sigh.
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