4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[kannie]

I had Maisy put down yesterday. I think she had some sort of peritonitis. It started about 18 months ago, but she's had better and worse periods.

 

Last year she moulted in the autumn and after this came back in to lay: though her eggs were infrequent and often soft shelled. We kept her going because she seemed happy enough and we don't only keep her for eggs.

 

This autumn she went into moult again, and it really took its toll, seeming to carry on for months. Then the past week she's had more off days, and on Sunday looked very ill, although she still took herself off to enjoy the patches of sun, and still came running for wheat.

 

On Monday she would hardly move, and I took her to the vet. I felt quite awful when the vet examined her: she was very emaciated and had pus in her bottom. The vet injected her, and as she died she shook her head and fluid came out of her mouth, presumably from her lungs.

 

The vet was nice about it, and said that chickens don't really show how ill they are until its often too late to do anything about it because they have so many predators, and they could get picked off if they look ill. Animals that don't have predators, like dogs and cats, show their illness much sooner.

 

Today the other two noticed her absence and spent a half an hour or so wailing for her. It was horrid.

[Chickvic]

So sorry to hear about Maisy.

[abwsco]

So sorry to read about Maisy. {{{{{{HUGS}}}}}}

[Ain't Nobody Here]

I'm so sorry to hear about Maisy .

[chelsea]

so sorry to hear about Maisy

[Karen & co.]

So sorry to hear about Maisie

 

Karen x

[Redwing]

really sorry to hear it but it sounds like you were a good hen mum and as the vet says there are some birds and animals that just don't seem obviously ill.

[Egluntyne]

Sad news.

[miffy]

so sorry to hear about Maisie. xx

[kannie]

Thanks! Maisy did the same wailing after Matilda died, and I'm sure I've not heard the same sound before or since: its a real keening, like they're really grieving.

 

They're back to normal today!

 

The only solace is that there's room for one more chook now, in due course!

[The Dogmother]

So sorry to hear that Christine

[mostin]

So sorry to hear about Maisie , at least she is at peace now.