Chicken bald back

[Claireabella]

I feel so sad, I can't believe I'm writing this and what has happened today. Barbara started to look a bit unwell yesterday, standing about and slightly hunched. She was the same this morning, not like her at all. I did the usual checks crop, vent, felt her tummy and I found a lump which felt like an egg. She stayed at the vets this morning for xrays and at 2pm they told me she had recovered well from the anesthetic and the vet would be calling me to discuss the results. It wasn't an egg though, it was a large tumour on her bowel and we were advised to PTS

 

I can't help thinking how long she must have covered it up and whether she was suffering. I feel guilty for not noticing the lump sooner. I'm so upset about this...I couldn't even hold back the tears in the vets.

 

I'm going to miss her so much, she was very special to us - a favourite of ours, always the first to greet us and jump on our laps as soon as we sat in the garden. Just the most beautiful, friendliest girl.

 

Sleep tight little Barb x

[Cat tails]

Oh no! How sad!

Just remeber she had a great life and you did everything you could!

Take care little hen!

[PixieDust]

Sorry to hear this. Be kind on yourself. You are a good chicken mum.

[gavclojak]

She clearly wasn't unwell for long because you noticed very quickly when is was not her usual self and acted on it immediately, as you know hens hide illnesses very well, you did nothing wrong and the fact you were prepared to take her to the vets and not just "leave her to see how she goes" for weeks on end, you acted swiftly and in the interest of your girl no matter how hard. Good on you

Sleep tight little one and look out for princess layer and merryweather, my special lost girls x

[Luvachicken]

Awww, that's very sad.

You did all that you could and acted swiftly when you noticed she wasn't her usual self.

Sleep well Barbara xx

[jeshen]

Sorry to hear about Barbara, who sounded a lovely little chicken. Thanks to you she didn't suffer for long. x

[Claireabella]

Thanks everyone; that's the great thing about this forum, you can say exactly how you feel and know that people will understand. It never seems to get any easier when we lose one and I felt like crying letting them out this morning without Barbara

 

I certainly don't hesitate to go to the vets if I think it's something beyond my experience and in this case, it was the right thing. I take comfort in the fact that, as the smallest, we always looked out for Barbara the most and she knew it. She always had extra helpings of the mealworms and would often sneak into the house and help herself to corn! She was one of a kind.

[mrsatroy]

Sorry to hear about the loss of poor Barbara It's very hard to lose one of your girls.