Fewer eggs

[ClaireG 0]

Simon went to feed the girls for me this morning and found Ella dead in the nestbox

[teri 0]

Zoe was put to rest by the vet earlier today. she had suffered with a re-occuring prostate problem that was getting increasingly worse. she will be missed by everyone, she is was one of my original girls and the only one to lay pure white eggs. she layed her last one this morning the vet was very kind and assured me i was making the choice.

[susanbb 0]

Went out this morning once all the girls were out of the cube to find that Mrs Bridges, my big,beautiful, cuddly cochin had died. there had been no sign of illness so it's a big shock.

The ex-batty girls seem fine, but I'm a bit concerned about Ruby as I got them both when they were 8 weeks old. She seems quite subdued.

 

Sleep well Mrs Bridges. I hope you had a happy 3 years with us.

 

 

Can I just thank everyone for their lovely thoughts for Mrs Bridges as non chicken folk seem to understand.

 

Just to let you know that Ruby seems to be fine and feisty like she always is and my 13yo DS said that Mrs Bridges had gone to Omlet heaven with her friends from Omlet, which in a strange way I can see her yomping around and having fun and I know that it has been worth it . i hope you understand what I mean.

[Clairbear 0]

We went away for the weekend and came home to hear that one of our girls had sadly died. We've only had our girls for a few weeks but Mo had always had watery poo and a bit of a dirty bum. She seemed ok in herself but hadn't laid for about 2 weeks. My neighbour was really upset as she had been looking after them while we were away.

 

RIP Mo

[cathybc 0]

I found poor little Hedwig dead in the nesting box this morning.

 

She had been a bit off colour, had needed two baths last weekend as she was a bit mucky and was generally a bit wobbly. Last night she was in the nest box and I gave the others some tuna in the run. I was going to give her her own bowl in the eglu but she got up to join the others. When I went to put them to bed they all seemed to be cuddled up as normal.

 

But then I found her this morning.

 

I am glad she had a nice last treat and died in her sleep. She was an ex-batt I had had for 17 months so again, I am glad she died a natural death.

 

But I am still really upset, she was always the one who would sneak upstairs to terrorize the cats, the other girls would go back in the run, then I would be running round the house calling for her!

 

RIP Hedwig.

Edited August 17, 2009 by Guest

[Chicky 0]

When we were on holiday we had some bad news one of our three chooks has died. Grandpa who was looking after them for us along with next door buried her in the garden. very sad As you can see ive had to change signature. Upsetting.

[Nicola O 0]

My lovely little Myrtle was PTS this afternoon .

 

She has been slowing down recently, and at times looked unwell (though at other times seemed fine) she had started to drink loads and she was then just 'pooing' water so I realised she probably had kidney problems. She had a reduced appetite and had lost weight.

 

A blood test confirmed severe kidney failure so we knew she wouldn't get better and just waste away, so I decided to let her go.

 

She was the last of my original ex-batts, was top chook and had 2yrs 4 months of 'normal' cook life.

 

She will be missed. Bye bye Myrtle.

 

Nicola

[abwsco 0]

We've just lost Patty one of our two remaining exbatts She had a good innings as she's been with us since the 26th April 2008 and like all of our other exbatts who have died she had a last day of lovely sunshine.

[lisa33 0]

Had my first chicken death today.

 

Cynthia was a bit puffed up and miserable yesterday and this evening when we came home from work. By 8.30 she collapsed and was wheezing. I bought her in doors in a box and put her in the spare room. She was ok when I was getting ready for bed. 10 mins late Andy came up and had a look in at her. She had had a seizure. Glad it was quite quick, but I am going to miss her loads.

 

[Plum 97]

In memory of my beautiful, cheeky little Sparrow who gave me so many laughs and so much joy in her short life.

 

 

She was PTS on friday to prevent further suffering when she failed to pick up again. Over the past few months she has had lots of problems with laying due to a tumour of her ovary and another undiagnosed mass in her abdomen.

 

Rest in peace my little one. I'll never forget you.

[emmaw298 0]

Hi all, thought I would feel better if I shared with you that I lost one of my ex batts today quite suddenly. She hasn't been well for months so no surprise really but she seemed ok yesterday then today I got back from work to find her looking very unwell indeed, very hunched, laboured breathing, swollen crop and yellow fluid pouring out from behind. Phoned the vets immediately knowing she needed to be PTS and took her straight up. The vet offered me the option of antibiotics but said it wouldn't change the prognosis as he could feel a large swelling inside her that was probably a tumour. I thought she was eggbound a few months ago as I could feel a swollen lump when massaging around that area but nothing ever changed or disappeared so I guess it was a tumour all along. I opted for her to be PTS, knowing it was the right thing but was very tearful when the vet carried her away. It also cost £56 which I was quite shocked at!

We had her for 20 months out of the battery farm - not sure if this is normal for ex batts or not? Now down to only 2 so going to start thinking about getting some more except only got the one eglu and a bit worried about integrating some new young and feisty birds to my old ladies now.

RIP Hettie - you had a good ol' life in the end xx

[abwsco 0]

RIP Edna

 

Sadly Edna died overnight so we now have no ex batts left We've lost Patty and Edna this week but although the weather was atrociuos in parts yesterday Edna still had some sun on her last day like all the others have had.

 

Feels like the end of an era as I don't think we will get more exbatts due to the logistics of adding them to our others plus at the moment we're also trying to re-introduce Mum back to the flock and also we've two girls from the chicks.

[Sara-W 0]

I've been so sad & worried all week about Mildred she had been so ill and weak I took her to the vet on Monday who thought she might have an infection so gave her antibiotics but that didn't work, my usual vet was back yesterday morning when I took her to her appointment. He said that he thought that she had a genetic abnornmality she is 0ne of 6, 3 have grown normally and have started laying the other 3 hardly developed at all and are very small. Agatha died a couple of weeks ago unexpectedly, Queenie injured one of her legs but is doing well and now Mildred has died

 

I'm so upset, I have had a terrible day as today I said goodbye to my cockerel Ritchie, he has gone to live on a farm -still not sure I've done the right thing I've lost 2 of my chickens in one day

[quickcluck 1]

.. When OH got them up this morning, Violet was dead i the eglu

 

I am gutted, she was my favorite a beautiful Splash Orpington. We've no idea what has happened.

 

She was 'adventure chick' massive personality, the friendliest . It's just terrible.........

[scrambledhead 0]

I have just found Margo lying in the run, she had been off colour all weekend so it wasn't a surprise but was still a shock.

 

I know all you lovely chicken people will feel for me, my husband is away until Thursday, not sure whether to tell him, he will be very upset.

 

Thanks for listening, just needed to share with some like minded people as know work colleagues won't understand!

[alih 1]

Omar has just died peacefully in a pink blanket! She was an ex batt and had been off colour for a week or so, never really having regained her health since we got her but having had lots of free-ranging and sunshine. She was a gentle giant and she will be missed.

 

she went from this:

 

to this:

 

Bless you, Omar

[Yorkshire Pudding 0]

Sorry to everyone who has lost a girl recently.

 

Please add my Marjie to the list. She had been going downhill for a week or two, and just never regained her strength. I had her as a 'spent' barn hen two years ago, she laid beautifully for another year and was a character to boot. I had to hunt round the garden in the dark whenever she went to roost in the shrubs instead of the Eglu, and she was the Houdini of my little flock - I've picked her up from the neighbours more times than I can remember.

 

She died peacefully in her sleep, tucked up in the conservatory, warm, quiet and with a tummy full of her favourite yogurt and pellet porridge. She was at least 4 years old and had two happy years rotavating my back garden.

 

Mostin and ShaunW, thanks for your help in trying to save her.

[craftyhunnypie 0]

My Bounty has died today. I thought her comb looked an odd colour when I let her out to free range at lunchtime. She also didn't come running for her sweetcorn. Hubby found her on her side under her favourite fuschia bush, when he came in.

She was a typical big farmyard type hen called a magpie. She was quite old really for a hybrid. She retired from laying about May. Her friend will really miss her & has slept in the cube nest box tonight. She does have Spongebob my frizzle cockerel & his lavender banteenies for company - so she is not in need of fellow chooky friends - but she will be wondering where she is tomorrow. Poor love.

The cube used to house 7. It now houses Rolo our black rock, Spongebob our little cockerel & 3 banteenies - that's 5. Lots of room for a couple more.

I hope to get another magpie chook one day.

Bye bye Bounty big bird.

P.S - I got Bounty the day before Karen & co bought Falcon...I can't remember exact date.

Emma.x

[Griffin 0]

Lamb Chop, my 11 week old Salmon Faverolle, who I'd nursed through a splayed leg and who meant the world to me died in an awful accident this morning. I'm totally to blame, I'm so upset and don't know how I'm going to tell the children I fought so hard with her for the first few days to keep her alive, I'm sure her leg wasn't her only problem in the beginning, she wouldn't eat either but she tried hard for me and we struck up a great bond. She was so special and I've let her down.

 

I'm so sorry baby girl

[cluckingmad 0]

Little Millie, our ex-batt with the damaged leg was put to sleep on Monday - we tried for several days to help her pick up but despite all our effects (and hers) her time had come She was a lovely little girl, at the bottom of the pecking order but always the first to come for a cuddle - we'll miss you little hen.

[Eggquisite 0]

Just arrived home after awful journey to be met by OH saying - not good news

 

Posie one of our recent additions has died we had noticed she

seemed a little off her food past couple of days and were keeping

an eye on her, she was playing with the others and not showing

any other symptoms.

 

A large glass of wine now in hand. A sad day! RIP Posie

[stoice 0]

Said goodbye to my lovely ex-batt Babs yesterday.

 

My favourite chook.

 

I'd been on holiday for a week and on my return my neighbour says Babs 'has a wet bottom that the other girls are interested in' They had pecked her quite badly till she bled. But the reason they pecked her was she had been having trouble passing a softie. (She'd been prone to laying these for months and limestone, Cod liver oil etc just wouldn't fix it. I put it down to her winding down in her laying) She still had crushed shell stuck inside her. I left her a day or so to see if she could pass it on her own but she got progressively 'depressed'. I took her to the vet yesterday (Bird specialist was on holiday - typical) She looked like she didn't know one end of a chook from the other, i felt i knew more than her. She said antibiotics could maybe help but if there's something still in there (She had a sweep around inside her and couldn't find anything) there wasn't much hope.

I'm wondering now if the specialist could've done something and I feel sad at the though I've help to put down Babs when she could've made it.

 

Her last day was spent in the garden, were she kept falling asleep among the Rosemary. She also managed a few grapes.

 

Here's a painting I did of her a few weeks ago. I used artists license to put her beak back to it's former glory since it was mangled at the battery farm.

 

Sleep well Babsy

 

 

Stacey xx

[chickiepiggies 0]

RIP fluffy she was sent to chicken heaven today it was very upsetting i loved her to bits.

 

she had become very frail and weak and lost a lot of weight she had internal bleeding don't know caused it it was al so sudden one minute scratching around the next she wouldn't do anything.

 

she had a fab six months pecking around the garden, digging for worms with me and helping me dig all the old veggies up.

she has a much better life than the battery cages. i will miss you fluffy and i will never forget you.

 

sleep now my chickie piggie.

 

This is her below.

 

[eggalp 0]

My lovely little bluebell, Grey, died on Tuesday after a long drawn out battle against something nasty inside. She had trouble with her insides after becoming egg bound, but a vet released the egg and we persevered with antibiotics for a long time. I thought she was getting better and she put on a lot of weight, but she recently took a turn for the worse and after becoming very thin and weak i took her to the vet who said the kindest thing was to put her to sleep. I am devastated. She used to come and sit next to me if I sat down on the lawn……none of the others do that, I will miss her so much.

[Ygerna 0]

Poor lola has not been well for about a month, she had sour crop. Despite trying most of the home remedies on here she has not been improving. Today, she looked extremely ill. Eyes listless, closed, head hunched and tucked down, standing alone and ignoring treats. Today, I decided that it would be unwise to try and continue.

 

I am so sad, and rather shaken by doing it but, felt it was the right thing to do. If you keep chickens then its something you should be able to do I feel. However, it is upsetting and I am in no way suggesting it was an easy thing to do.

 

Poor lola, I hope she can forgive me.