Used Omlet outdoor rabbit run Width 2.2m Height 2.05m Length 3.1m vgc.

[dancing cloud]

I took Little Chicken to the vets tonight to be pts and I feel like a very bad chicken mummy as she had fly-strike and I hadn't noticed . She'd started with sour crop about 10 days ago and I was so busy sorting out the crop end that I never thought about her dirty knickers. The sour crop seemed to improve a bit and she was interested in a little food, though still sometimes bringing up fluid, but tonight when I got home I saw she was bleeding badly from the rear and her vent did not look at all right.

 

My lovely vet let me take her even though it was after hours, and she immediately found maggots when she lifted Little Chicken's tail and the bleeding from inside the vent was caused by the damage they'd done. There was no chance of saving her as they'd clearly got far inside and she was already weak from sour crop, so I made that horrible decision and stayed with her as she had a peaceful end . As well as being sad at losing her, I feel so bad, as I might have been able to save her if I'd noticed and acted sooner.

 

A very tiny consolation is that she had fifteen months of freedom and she always knew she was loved. Intended to be named Rhiannon as one of the songbird rescue, she chose her own name instead. Call her Rhiannon and you'd get get no response, call her Little Chicken and she always came running - so Little Chicken she was. I know she had a lovely happy life with me, I just wish she'd had a better end. I'm sure my fellow omleteers will understand.

Edited May 17, 2011 by Guest

[gongladosh]

Poor little thing. You did your best, but hens do hide their illnesses, it's so easy not to notice.

She had a lovely life with you and you stayed with her to the end.

[majuka]

I am so sorry for your loss. Sleep tight Little Chicken. Thick feathers can make it so difficult to see unless you were particularly looking for flystrike. It is frustrating because I heard about chickens getting flystrike a while ago. I was paranoid about one of my girls getting it and even rang the manufactures of Rear Guard for rabbits to see if it would be safe to use on chickens. They told me that they had no data on that... It is about time that someone brought out something to protect our chooks.

[dancing cloud]

Thank you for your lovely messages. I know feeling guilty won't bring Little Chicken back, I just wish she hadn't suffered at all.

 

This morning Lady died as well , not of fly strike. I don't know what took her, she was well yesterday morning and shouting for leftover cat food as usual, put herself to bed early last night looking a bit under the weather and only opened her eyes a couple of times before passing away very quickly this morning. Two of my gorgeous girls gone in 12 hours

 

Lady was a song bird rescue along with Little Chicken, and was generally known as my little thug chicken as that's exactly what she was. If there was trouble, Lady was in it! She was much paler in colouring than any of my others, being gold and cream rather than the standard ex-batt little red hen, and was also very vain - always enjoyed being told what a pretty girl she was. Both of them got to bathe in the sun, whinge at the rain and play in the snow, and have 15 months of being much-loved little girls. Even with four precious ones still around, the garden looks very empty this morning .

[Seagazer]

Oh I'm so sorry, that's so sad to lose two so quickly. Don't beat yourself up about Little Chicken, it could happen to any of us. I'd taken Butch to the vets as she wasn't well, she had treatment but in my heart I knew she should have been pts. I kept her in for a week and still knew she should go. Finally on the day I decided to take her up to the vets, she died in the car after suffering a fit. We can all feel bad but, at the end of the day they can't tell us how they are feeling and its not like with our indoor pets we have who we can see all the time.

[gongladosh]

Really sorry to hear about your girls, you've given them fantastic lives.

 

Having read Seagazer's comment also, one thing that's probs worth mentioning is about the fit - it's not pleasant to watch, but it's probably worth mentioning that it's not as bad as it looks. How it happens is as she slips away quietly, the brain fires random electrical impulses as it shuts down, and the fit is simply the muscles responding to those final impulses, it's not your girl in distress, she'd already gone by then.

[vickichicky]

Really sad for you ((hugs)) I didn't really know about fly strike in chooks (although it seems obvious now) so I have learnt something from your post if nothing else, and shall be checking my girls now. How sad to lose 2 in such a short space of time. I lost 2 within 2 weeks of each other last month - unrelated problems (old age & Peritonitus) but it does shake you. Especially as I then lost another one to the fox at the beginning of this month I suddenly went from 8 to five and the run looks half empty! It made you wonder should I carry on - but the remaining girls soon quash any feelings of doubt bless them.

Hope you feel happier soon and enjoy your remaining girlies

Vicki xx

[WitchHazel]

So sorry to hear about your loss, especially two so close together.

 

It sounds like they were very much-loved chickens, and that they were very lucky girls to have a relatively long & happy retirement with you.

[dancing cloud]

Thank you so much for your support and kindness.

 

I've recently lost four girls in total - Sun about six weeks ago, after two years and two days of freedom, Holly less than two weeks ago after only four months out, and Little Chicken and Lady - going from eight ladies to four . All unrelated causes of death and all very much loved and missed now they're free-ranging forever.

 

Of the remainder, Sky loves being top chook and hopes to exceed Chance's record as longest-lived, Lola is teaching Mistletoe to sing (what else is 5.30am for? ) and Berry is one of the sweetest, gentlest and thankfully most quiet hens I've owned. However, the garden is just too empty with only four feathery bundles of mischief in it, so I've emailed BHWT to ask to be put on their list for adoption. Fingers crossed some more lucky-to-be-rescued little girls will soon be adding colour and life to the garden again.

[cathybc]

sorry to hear about your girls x

[JanTheDiver]

This is very sad, lost my Ginger to prolapse a few weeks ago so I know what you are going through

[Chortle Chook]

I'm so sorry for your loss too.

I hadn't heard of fly strike and am thinking that I don't check my chooks often enough. I'll do so more now. Thank you for letting us all know about this horrid thing and once more sorry you lost Little Chicken and Lady.

[majuka]

So sorry that Lady has gone as well. It always seem the way that you lose them in groups and it is so hard, you are still grieving for one when you lose the other. We have lost two of our girls within 24 hours of each other and this January we lost three, each two ish weeks apart. Really knocks you for six when it happens.x

[Henhathnofury]

I am so sorry for your double loss. I had a rabbit with flystrike so I understand the horror and the guilt. It was so serious that he was taken to the animal hospital BY TAXI. He did survive but it's an awful thing. You have had such an awful time. Chicken people understand and I send you hugs. Smile when you think about the funny things they did - that has always helped me in the past.....

[Lavenders_Blue]

Oh Dancing Cloud I am so sorry to hear about your two girls

Sending lots of hugs your way x

[Sammiboo]

Oh how awful for you! Don't brat yourself up about it. When I worked at a bird sanctuary one of my patients suffered from flystrike whilst in our care. I spent about 6 hours trying to clear it but then found that the maggots had got into the body cavity so had to put it to sleep. I was gutted! I have been keeping an eye on my bald chicken the last few weeks as she have a few minor cuts on her from a bit of pecking from the others.

Good new about registering on bhwt - something positive and rewarding to look forward to after such a terrible tine for you.