Chickens like him live 6 weeks. He lived 4 years.
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00:00 The average lifespan of a broiler chicken is five to seven weeks. He lived
00:05 four and a half years. I'm Nicole and this is Tilt's story for GeoBeats. I met him on the
00:13 4th of August 2018. Tilt was found in a broiler shed five weeks of age.
00:20 Hi sweetie. He had this condition called Ryanaek which meant that he couldn't
00:26 lift his head up for very long periods of time. Somebody spotted him in that
00:34 condition in the shed and in a moment of kindness and compassion they've picked
00:37 him up and brought him to me. I had converted my home into a hospice for
00:44 chickens. Even though he had such disabilities he just had this
00:49 absolute spark of joy in him. I can see you. I can still see you. Good boy. Very cute. You're very cute.
01:00 Introducing him to new things, to new foods. It's pretty yummy isn't it? Taking
01:06 him outside his face would just light up with joy.
01:14 We would go out to the beach often together. You're the beach bubba. When he would
01:23 see the sky he started purring. Just wanted to do so many things.
01:29 Cuddling. And he was that type of guy that got along with everybody. Can you say hello to him today? Yeah that's it.
01:41 He would hang out with the dogs and with my old cat. Mr Cat loves you. He was really
01:46 interested in meeting people. He would just look at people in such a sincere
01:54 way that was really captivating. He would want to have some human touch. He had so
02:02 many vocalizations. He would giggle. He would put himself to bed at the night
02:08 time. He couldn't sleep in the same way that a chicken normally does. He would
02:16 lay down with his head on a pillow. This is how he generally wakes up. His neck's
02:21 just so stiff isn't it bubba? He slept on the mattress beside my bed and he was
02:25 the first thing that I would hear in the morning. He woke up at 4.30 in the morning
02:31 with a crow crow. Oh my goodness that's a lot of crow crow. We spent so much time together. It's a plane. I kind of had
02:38 to revolve my world around him. Yeah! It was just immense love that we
02:45 have for each other. I just I think I'm sorry I'll stop crying.
02:55 Tilt was unable to fly because he was a broiler chicken. He was nine kilograms
03:01 and their wings are smaller than normal chickens so they're not able to fly ever.
03:07 You love Jessie don't you?
03:11 Are they talking to you? He adored a statue of a chicken at the front door. He would be
03:21 checking her out, going up slowly to her, touching her. Did you just give her a kiss? We used to laugh but that was his
03:29 actual favorite girlfriend. You got a girlfriend? He loved his weekly massages
03:34 with Melissa. As soon as he saw that mattress he'd be heading there, laying
03:38 down ready for Melissa to come. I feel like this is my life's purpose really to
03:48 show how amazing chickens are. They are important individuals and we are better
03:53 people for getting to know them. Do you want to eat your cake on the way?
04:00 I have always had dogs in my life and actually work as a dog trainer
04:05 professionally. I met chickens later in my life and was just completely blown
04:11 away with how intelligent they are.
04:15 Want to do a sit?
04:17 You're having tears at this?
04:19 Well, I forgot to tell you.
04:21 From training dogs and training chickens, chickens definitely pick things up quicker than dogs.
04:28 You like it? Tilt was able to pick himself out in photos. Things that I initially
04:33 started to teach him just as a way to help his neck, like playing the piano. He
04:38 loved doing it. But he wanted to have the engagement with the people so he would
04:47 tap a few notes on his keyboard and then he'd wait.
04:55 He passed away on the 21st of February this year. The average lifespan of a
05:04 broiler chicken is five to seven weeks. He really did very, very well to get to
05:10 four and a half years. I thank him for being such a good teacher. He taught me
05:17 so much about tolerance and patience and resilience and love. You're a good boy,
05:22 aren't you? I just never want to stop talking about him.
05:27 Each time a chicken comes into the world or any animal that's vulnerable and has
05:33 the opportunity to really connect with people and to show the world their
05:38 potential, then that is where love arises in the world.
05:43 [Music]