|
|
 FOWL:
Huey,
Dewey, Louie, and Chewey are blind
ducks that came to Whispering Hope from a bird
rescue and rehab facility in the Phoenix area. Two of them lost their sight
when chemicals were unintentionally placed in a man-made pond. The others lost their vision
through mistreatment or accidents. Three
mallards, Jeepers, Peepers and
Ponder are also ranch residents.
Turkeys who have
recently joined the ranch family are Cranberry (hen) and
Pumpkin (tom), hatched in spring 2003, and Cobbler (hen) hatched in
April 2004. Pumpkin and Cobbler are Royal Palms and Cranberry is a
Bronze turkey.
Cranberry and Pumpkin were injured while being transported
from a turkey breeder, as tiny days-old poults, to be sold at a feed
store. Cobbler was
living in circumstances where she was unsafe. They were all very happy to
come to Whispering Hope Ranch to be rehabilitated and become
“permanent” ranch residents. They are delightful communicators!
Ambrosia
(hen), another Bronze turkey, was afraid of hands and being touched
when she first arrived. The animal caretakers worked with her very
slowly and gently, telling her she was in a very safe, loving place,
and within days Ambrosia was greeting everyone at the ranch, asking
be to be petted. Cranberry was delighted to have a new best friend
to exchange “girly gobble” with. All of the turkeys tell us daily
just how happy they are to finally have such a wonderful place as
Whispering Hope Ranch to call their
home.
SiSi
,
Grayson, Jewel and
Gracie are very
special geese. A small boy who did not know how to care for them
brought SiSi Goose and Jewel Gander to the ranch. Grayson was found wandering
in a busy intersection in Phoenix and was rescued by some kind
people who brought him to Payson and eventually to Whispering Hope.
Gracie was rescued
from a man who had kept her in a tiny cage. Her feet and legs were
coated with pounds of mud and she was not able to lift her feet or
walk! She is now happy and healthy and in love with Jewel.
The peafowl family includes
peahen Primetime and her
offspring, pure white twins, Powder (cock) and Puff (hen) and
their sibling Blush (cock).
The entire family “dines” on the ranch house porch with
the all the ranch kitties!
They enchant guests and visitors with their beautiful
displays and dances.
Ranch
chickens include Pokey, a beautiful and
amazing rooster who does the Hokey Pokey! He lives with three black
hens, Onyx and Ebony and Hope, who came from a Buddhist
retreat near the ranch and four Aracana hens, Pansy, Rose,
Lilac and Lily. ”Pokey and the
Buddhist Hens” have recently formed a rock group and are hoping to
open for the Dixie Chicks!!
All of these wonderful creatures respond positively to human
attention and make the ranch a more beautiful
place.
Other special feathered
friends include turtle doves, Dixie and Dolly, and
cockatiel pairs,
Whispering Willie
and Pearl and
Tiger and Digit. The doves begin and end the
day with soothing coos.
Our cockatiel family has a wide repertoire of songs and
whistles as well as a comedy routine of interesting “sounds”. Isabella (Izzy B) is a
brilliant red and blue eclectus parrot. She spent the first five
years of her life in a very neglectful environment and would spend
many hours lying on her side in the bottom of her tiny cage. She has
blossomed since coming to Whispering Hope and is a real flirt! She
especially likes men and always knows when there is a man (human!)
in her vicinity.
 
GOATS:
Buckwheat, a cashmere goat is a
special healer for the elderly. He understands when people
need comfort and seeks them out when they visit the ranch. He was born with a severe
side-bite. As a result
he had been hand-fed since birth and was considered incapable of
getting enough water and nourishment without intervention. He came
to Whispering Hope along with other cashmere goats, Snowball, and Pancho. Buckwheat began eating
and drinking on his own shortly after arriving at the ranch and
quickly became the
leader of the herd! Angel is a nubian goat who
joined the herd after being abandoned. Sweet Pea is a pygmy “fainting”
goat that was at a “petting zoo” that was closing. Had the Ranch not taken her
in she would have had a very short life!! She is truly sweet and
delightful. Other pygmy goats, include Goatee, a clown and escape
artist, Bee Bop, a little black pygmy
goat who was very ill when he arrived at the ranch but is now
healthy and happy, and Billy and Vanilly, gorgeous spotted
black and white brothers who are playful, loving and gentle. Bert is a very sweet boy
who has an injured pelvis and has difficulty moving quickly. He and
his friends Ernie, and
Nanny came to the ranch
after being rescued from an auction truck! Goldie is a wonderful
alpine goat who came to Whispering Hope after having been injured at
her previous home.
PREVIOUS NEXT |
| |
