Ugh, respiratory virus

The older birds have finally transmitted their virus to the baby birds. I can't remember if I've explained this situation before... basically, unlike humans, chickens will usually carry their respiratory viruses (colds) with them all their lives even after they've recovered. So they are always contagious. We knew the baby birds would get it eventually. We didn't lose any when it went through the original flock, so we're hoping this will be the same situation.

The baby birds have snotty eyes that they keep itching on their necks, so then their neck feathers are snotty. It's pretty gross.

Two Face's swelling has gone down A LOT, but we don't think she'll ever go back to normal. Instead of it being a huge red tumor on the side of her face it's a flat white blob. Like when someone loses a ton of weight and their skin didn't shrink? Like that. She must have gotten something stuck in the cavity because this morning it was filled with goo and I worked a really gross glob of what looked like cottage cheese out of the cavity. Now, I have held the still warm heart of a chicken in my hand and not even blinked, but this was gag inducing. So I've gone back to the routine of filling the cavity with polysporin.

Lord, I do not need more than one bird with only one eye. Let this virus run through the babies quickly and without facial tumors.

I read somewhere that chickens like watermelon and it's good for them when it's hot. I had a half watermelon in the fridge that we never ate and it started to get too ripe, so I just tossed it in the fence. This morning there is nothing but rind left, and they're picking the rind apart bit by bit.