GEB Posted April 10, 2010 Share Posted April 10, 2010 Last night my favourite chook Sweetie died She was the most tame docile girl I've ever come across, our top chook and even those who claimed not to like chickens couldn't help but love her as she was so very sweet. I'm confused how she can have gone from seeming to be completely healthy to dead in under 24 hours. She had displayed no signs of being unwell in the lead up to yesterday. She last laid a softie a few days ago, but this was normal for her at this time and she was laying less and less and we assumed she was stopping due to age. She had never had any crop problems, worms or mites. However when I went out at about 4pm yesterday she was clearly feeling under the weather. She had adopted the sick chicken pose and was very slow to walk down the garden. I brought her inside initially just to assess her. I couldn't feel or see anything wrong except that her crop was pretty empty and she was pooing lots of milky liquid with absolutly no faecal matter (sorry for being graphic!). She wouldn't eat anything, not even her favourites, but was drinking alot of water. I then kept her in and stayed up through the night keeping up her fluid intake and also giving her sugar water intending to take her to the vet first thing this morning. I went to bed at 2.30am for three hours, but when I got up to check on her at 5.30am she was dead. I've looked her over and still no obvious cause so I assume some fast acting infection? Does anyone have any ideas? Without knowing why she died I am nervous for my remaining girls. Not helped by the fact that this seems incredibly similar to the death of my previous chook( although this was over a year ago now). Sorry to ramble on, but I'm upset and I feel so deflated that I couldn't save her. It's like she waited for me to leave and then just gave up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted April 10, 2010 Share Posted April 10, 2010 What a shame, I'm so sorry . How old was she? Could it just have been old age? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GEB Posted April 10, 2010 Author Share Posted April 10, 2010 She was about 2 1/2 years old. I thought if it was old age it would be more of a gradual decline and then passing away in her sleep, but all the liquid she was passing out her rear end I feel sure something was going on, just no idea what! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted April 10, 2010 Share Posted April 10, 2010 It sometimes happens I'm afraid. I found one of my hens dead in the nest box last week, and she had been apparently well before hand. The symptoms you describe could hint at something kidney related, and if that was the case, there wouldn't have been a great deal that could have been done tbh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted April 10, 2010 Share Posted April 10, 2010 Kidney disease crossed my mind. What do you worm with out of interest? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chick wiggle Posted April 10, 2010 Share Posted April 10, 2010 Im so so sorry for you, its so upsetting and especially so when its unexplained. Whatever it was, you know she had a wonderful life with you and was very happy and loved and cared for to the very end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GEB Posted April 10, 2010 Author Share Posted April 10, 2010 Thanks for your replies. I'm feeling a bit better about it now. I guess I just have to accept it as one of those things. At least I feel I did everything I could for her, and as you say, I know she had a lovely life. Its strange without her today, and the other two seem lost without her. Chucky Mamma I worm with flubenvet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted April 10, 2010 Share Posted April 10, 2010 Chucky Mamma I worm with flubenvet. Perfect Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kerryegg Posted April 10, 2010 Share Posted April 10, 2010 So sorry. At least she had a good life and didn't suffer a long drawn out illness. Kindest regards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
