When my eggshell cracked a few years ago and I hatched into a big spruce tree stump, there were other eight siblings around me. The oldest one was 5 days old. I was the last: 9th. It was too much for my parents, they didn’t manage to feed our open beaks at all. So our mummy decided to solve this situation by reduction: that is, to remove the youngest ones. 

She bit my wing and legs off, she also bit a piece of my brother's wing. Fortunately, she gave up soon and she didn't return anymore. Our daddy fed us with some hard seeds and then there was only silence. In the evening, we started to feel the cold. We snuggled to each other tight and waited what would happen. 

Then a strange noise appeared: the stump opened and we were picked up by some hands from the cold nest and put into a strange box. There was some humming noise but it was warm and moist like under our mummy. After some time, the box opened and a warm hand picked up the older siblings. A small red sun was shining there and a funny-looking beak gave to us some yummy food. After that, we were put back in the box. 

It was worse with me and two of my brothers. The hard seeds were pressed in our crop and we felt sick. They used a strange tool to put the yucky stuff out of our crop. And then it was pretty much the same: every two hours the yummy food and then a nap. My legs and wing recovered very quickly. In time, my older siblings moved into a bigger box, I stayed with the weaker ones in the smaller box for some more time. We ate, grew and got stronger - and we even grew our first colourful feathers. We moved into bigger boxes several times. Then we went out to enjoy the sun. We started to try out our wings. 

My brothers and sisters could fly in two months. But it wasn’t working out for me, I tried and tried and nothing happened. I got some shelves in my aviary so I wouldn’t miss out anything. I can climb and run on them easily. They pick me up every day, I flap my wings and they hold me and run across the room - so I fly like all the other birds. When I get tired I cuddle for a bit and then I go back to my cage. And so that I’m not just useless here, I help wean the babies. They place the baby into my cage, they come to feed it sometimes and meanwhile, I show the baby how it's done properly. I stuff myself with food and the baby stares at it and wants some too. Very soon, it tries to imitate me. And so I became a helpful nanny. It brings more benefits too! When I don't have any baby to take care of, I go on trips with people. There, I am allowed to walk in the grass freely - with the supervision of course. 

I even travelled to the mountains in the winter. I stayed in a box and walked around the whole table. Everybody admired me and I was the star. That’s clear, isn't it? Thanks to my handicap I experience much more entertainment than any other healthy parrot. Only the special way of my flying is a little secret because if some stranger would see this, he would totally think we are nuts!.