Liz Steed Posted April 18, 2007 Share Posted April 18, 2007 I had to have Nugget put down today She's been really poorly yesterday and today, really sleepy and quiet with really yellow poos. I don't know if anyone remembers but she started laying wind eggs about 5-6 weeks ago and did that for about a fortnight then stopped although she has sat like she was going to lay for and hour or so now and then. The vet said it was probably liver problems due to the impact of layers pellets on the livers of hybrids. He said to think about switching to rare breeds as the toll of egg laying isn't so great. She hasn't had yellow urates til this week and has been her normal cheeky self, sneaking in the house and pecking about and generally having a good old chat, but looking back, I've caught her with her eyes shut having a snooze in the sun several times over the last couple of weeks. Because she's been behaving like she wants to lay, but hasn't been producing, I've kept a real close eye on her when she's been on the nest because I thought she'd started egg eating ~(although I've never found any evidence of that) and she's often been on the nest with her eyes shut (not the second lids, but the lower ones) and has woken up when I've disturbed her. It dawned on me today that she's been going in because she's not been feeling well, cos she sleeps in the nesting box. I've been told to keep an eye on the others, although they all seem fine, and she'd stop laying before the babes were introduced. Flo seems a little lost and keeps going into the Eglu to see if Nug's there So a little bit sad today Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buffie Posted April 18, 2007 Share Posted April 18, 2007 Oh sorry for your loss, it's hard I know. Don't let it put you off hybrids, I have both and they are all lovely. BBx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen & co. Posted April 18, 2007 Share Posted April 18, 2007 Sorry to hear you have lost Nugget karen x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harveypup Posted April 18, 2007 Share Posted April 18, 2007 So sorry to hear about your sad loss At least your chook had a happy contented life and was able to feel the sun on her back and the wind in her feathers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted April 18, 2007 Share Posted April 18, 2007 So sorry to hear about your sad loss At least your chook had a happy contented life and was able to feel the sun on her back and the wind in her feathers I couldnt put it better myself. Sorry about nugget. she was a lucky chicken to have a chicken mummy like you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted April 18, 2007 Share Posted April 18, 2007 Very sorry to hear about Nugget. I haven't heard the layers pellet theory before. That's interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz Steed Posted April 18, 2007 Author Share Posted April 18, 2007 He said it was the high protein and fat contents which have to be in mash/pellets to provide nutritionally balanced eggs, and the frequent processing of it that hybrids have to do cos of the volume of eggs they produce and that it can cause probs in older hens (not that 2 is old, even in hybrid terms)?? Don't know whether that makes much sense, cos they have to have that, and I asked him what else they should have, and he said that that was the correct thing to feed them. Anyway, Dor and Flo have laid today and Dot's still too little and everyone seems well. does anyone feed their rare breeds on anything diff when they're not laying in the Winter? Poor old Nugget, she was such a personality I really did think she'd be around a lot longer though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarahw Posted April 18, 2007 Share Posted April 18, 2007 I am sorry to hear about your little hen RIP nugget xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red Posted April 18, 2007 Share Posted April 18, 2007 Don't let it put you off hybrids, I have both and they are all lovely. BBx I agree - I've only ever had pure breeds but have lost 2 in 2 years despite lots of TLC so there are no hard and fast rules. If ever I expand my flock I will go for a couple of hybrids as well as some more pure breeds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red Posted April 18, 2007 Share Posted April 18, 2007 Sorry about Nuggs - (meant to say that in my last post ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red Posted April 18, 2007 Share Posted April 18, 2007 Sorry - something else I forgot to say is that my pure breeds have never laid a softie - in another thread I mooted whether this was a coincidence or if its only something hybrids tend to do - not sure that I ever concluded anything though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rachel19 Posted April 19, 2007 Share Posted April 19, 2007 The people i got my hybrids from recommended increasing their mixed corn rations in winter and decreasing their pellets as they are laying less and the extra calories from the corn are good for winter - i guess this would apply to all hens Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz Steed Posted April 19, 2007 Author Share Posted April 19, 2007 Thanks everyone for your sympathy Nuggs is the first one I've lost, I'll have to toughen up!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helly Welly Posted April 19, 2007 Share Posted April 19, 2007 So sorry to hear about Nugget Liz I can't imagine ever being "tough" about losing one of the chooks, they are part of the family now as i'm sure Nugget was. All we can do is give them a good life Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
