My Chicken Story: Tweedles, The Disabled Hen

I appreciate the opportunity when I’m able to share the spotlight with other chicken keepers. I’m a sucker for a feel good story and this one doesn’t disappoint. If you’re familiar with some of my series it’s a cross between My Chicken Story and When Art Meets Chickens, profiles of artists, crafters and writers that feature chickens in their work.

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My name is Chip, I’m 72 years old, retired from AT&T and live in Northeast Florida. My wife Grace and I have been married for 48 years. We have four hens and a rooster that free-range over our property. In the spring I’ll probably add four to six more. 

All of my life I’ve been “The Animal Guy”. I was the one to call when there was a snake in your kitchen or a raccoon in the garage.  I love all animals and birds. 

I started writing a few years ago. My first self-published book, Roscoe: My Cardinal Sin, was about a baby bird I rescued who became a beautiful male Cardinal. I shared stories about him on Facebook. He had followers on four continents who begged me to write a book. It’s stories about him with “side trips” about other birds and animals who entered my life, including current affairs stories about Peanut the Squirrel and Fred the Raccoon.  I was reported for keeping a wild bird and Roscoe was confiscated in the middle of winter.

The book was on Amazon’s Recommended List and nationally reviewed in USA Today. An environmental group made it their first selection in their book club.

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Tweedles (my wife named her) was offered to me as “a chicken with a hurt leg”. At first, I refused but when I realized what her future would be, I adopted her.  She didn’t have a hurt leg; she had two damaged legs: one faced forward and the other backwards. And she had two badly deformed feet. Tweedles was totally helpless and could not stand nor walk.

I fell in love with her and babied her. I prepared special foods. I raised meal worms and wax worms. She loved oatmeal cookies.

She was the sweetest chicken, staying in a cage during the day and at night I would place a towel across my chest and Tweedles would lay there and watch TV with us. Her favorite movie was Chicken Run. She even got her own bowl of popcorn. I would stroke her head and she would fall asleep. I’m 72 so I would also fall asleep. It’s every old man’s fantasy to have a young chick to sleep with… Sorry about that, but I can’t resist saying it. My wife is rolling her eyes over it. 

Tweedles started developing a neurological problem and had violent full body tremors. I would wrap her in a towel and hold her still until her body calmed down. Many times I prayed she would die so her suffering would end but I also prayed she would live. Three months ago, I lost her.

Sadly, the other chickens would attack her which is what inspired me to write a children’s book: Tweedles and Ellie: Handicaps, a Bully, Friends… and a Chicken. It’s about handicapped children dealing with a bully. They learn how to neutralize him then decide to make friends with him. During this process, they learn he has his own issues that cause his behaviours. Ultimately, they help him make amends with his other classmates. He becomes happier and friendly and, ultimately, a hero.  I had a number of teachers preview the book who gave it high marks. I am trying to find an organization that might sponsor it and give copies to children in hospitals such as the Shriners Crippled Children’s Hospital. 

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Thanks to Chip Kirkpatrick for sharing his story and photos, used with permission.