A Kirkby Malzeard woman’s warmth and human kindness has saved the life of a three-day-old chick.
Maisie Clark found the baby bird limp and unresponsive on her henhouse floor.
She told the Stray Ferret:
“The temperature had dropped sharply the night before.
“Somehow, the chick had become separated from its mum and I thought the worst.”
The tiny chick got separated from mother hen Betty the Bantam, pictured above
However, when Maisie picked up the seemingly lifeless body, she felt a small movement.
She tucked the tiny creature inside her top, hoping to replicate the body heat that a mother hen would usually provide.
Maisie, who has a two-year-old son, Brodie, pointed out:
“For newborn babies, skin to skin contact is important. It’s the same in the animal kingdom, especially for small, delicate creatures.”
She set off in her car on some errands, chick and all, and the moment of triumph came a couple of hours later:
“First I felt some movement and then I heard chirping – it was like a little miracle!
“The chick had revived and I was able to reunite it with its mother Betty.”
Now named Lucky, the fluffy brown chick is doing well and back in the henhouse along with its two siblings.
It even has a ‘guard dog’, as nine-year-old chihuahua, Alfie – himself a rescue animal – is very protective of the hens.
Maisie explained:
“He acts as if he’s the dad and it’s his job to look after the baby.”
The Clark family has a history of caring for small creatures. Maisie’s mother Liz has rescued, fostered and adopted scores of animals, including hedgehogs, cats, dogs and birds.
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Maisie said:
“I grew up in a house full of all kinds of animals and was always taught to love and care for them.
“No matter how small, all creatures facing difficulty or danger deserve their chance in life.”
