Good advice from brendasue. :) Like she said, you need to keep the bird warm and quiet to guard against shock, which can kill. I'd be willing to bet there as puncture wounds from the hawk's talons, though. Either the hawk's grip or the fall may have broken or bruised her leg(s) if she is limping. If taking the bird to the vet is out, it might be a good idea to get some over-the-counter bird antibiotic such as Ornacyn (at the pet store in the bird/reptile section) and add it to the hens' water. Use the doseage for parrots and follow label directions, and if it comes in tablet form crush it up first (the tablets take forever to dissolve). Keep her warm and quiet, and you can give her unflavored Pedialyte (at the grocery store, in the baby aisle) to drink to boost her electrolytes--good for injured or sick birds. You can get an idea of what is going on with her leg by starting at the top, GENTLY but firmly grasp her leg between your thumb and forefinger and squeeze, working your way down the leg. If she jumps or sqwauks at a certain point, you've found an injury. Get another hen and compare how it feels between the two hens' legs. You might be able to feel a serious enough break with your fingers. Also, test her--does she grasp with the injured leg's foot? Hold her up and tip her back and forth a bit, watching the foot--does it move or grasp? Anything that can help you diagnose her will help you. Feel up into her thigh area as well. Offer her goodies to keep her eating, such as live mealworms, cooked ground beef, scrambled eggs, diced grapes, raw corn on the cob, etc. Anything that keeps her eating and hydrated is good, and extra protein from things like mealworms will help her heal. I've got a chicken info site here that may help, this is the section of health: http://jackshenhouse.com/VSChickHealth.htm Good luck with her, and congrats to your wife for battling a hawk to save her! :) Velvet ~:>

Yall are as crazy as I am.. actually I use to raise violets over 30 years ago.. had kids.. so violets had to go.. now I am back into growing them again.. and YES.. I can not get enough.. everytime I use my FirstClass program, I see more I want to own.. so I go searching for the leaves.. can not afford the plants!! I know I will have to sell some of these next year to help pay for my habit!! LOL.. my husband says either sell them or we are going to go broke!! But I will have lots of babies and leaves to share.. just need to keep 2 plants of each for myself. Right now I do not have any micro-mini's but am sure someone out there would be willing to trade for one. Uh hmmmmmmmmmmm Korina (wink) (wink). I do have mini's and semi-mini's.. but mostly standards. I have suckers on my Organdy Trinket (semi-mini).. beautiful bloom if you love green frills, fringe or ruffles, check it out on the AVSA page (it is in the FirstClass database)... Green is my favorite of all... so about 65% of what I have, do have some green on the blooms. You have heard of the Bloomin' Onion.. well now there is a Bloomin' Violet Idiot!! Not pointing any fingers.. sitting on my hands! I know when I point a finger.. three of my fingers are pointing back at ME!! If you do not hear much from me this winter.. you know what I will be doing.. I LOVE IT!!!! And when they all begin to bloom.. I will be toasting them with a champagne (filled with beer.. can not afford the good stuff)! Besides why drink, when I can buy more LEAVES!! Thanks for of yall's comments.. but I am sure YOU are just as bad!! Tea

Babies at that age should "play dead" and will not move when you open the box. Dad should be able to fledge these two by himself. Go to a bait shop and get some wax worms to help Dad feed the babies. If the box is in direct sun try and umbrella over the box, but watch to be sure he is ok with it. I have put an ice pack ON TOP of the box (not IN the box). Take a hamburger flipper, lift the nest slightly and have someone check for parasites under the nest, sweep it out then gently lower it back down. Do NOT remove it from the box. Look for ants in the box etc. If you find anything come back in for help right away. Day 13 is the cut off day and you should not look in the box after that so you need to check quickly! You will be able to hear the babies peeping when Dad comes to feed them. As long as he is coming with food and removing poop sacks you know they are alive. Go to www.sialis.org and read up right away. Let us know whats going on in there. GOOD LUCK!

I've had birds for many years and currently have a pair of cockatiels. It's always amazed me as to how they communicate with each other and share the parenting duties while breeding a clutch of eggs. Most birds are social and very flock dependent. Without any romanticism involved, they definitely mourn the loss of their mate. Some die from the loneliness afterward. While wild birds may be less attached to their mate and have stronger instincts for survival, their bodies still experience normal hormonal changes when breeding that make them more attached to their mate & their young. That poor male is surely very confused over his missing family. I've lived in several areas that had many different animals that caused havoc with pets and people, alligators and snakes in the south, coyotes in California, and raccoons and deer here in Michigan. When ever someone complains about them causing trouble I have only one thought and that's that they were here first and it's part of living in the area that we choose to live in. I wonder what they think when they almost get hit by our cars, or can't find food because a builder has bulldozed their forest down.