[themagicaltoad1]

I lost a hen last week, no idea why, she just suddenly went downhill over a few hours and died, and she wasn't one of my oldies. Yesterday I had to put one of the older girls to bed as she just stood in the garden, and today she's just standing around looking very old and tired. I brought her in and gave her a warm bath, which she loved. She had a very yellow mess at her rear end, and I wondered if she had a broken egg inside but couldn't feel anything, she hasn't laid for about a year. She's eaten some food and been drinking water but I don't think she'll go on for much longer. Both her sisters died last year, she's 6 years old now so I suppose it's to be expected.

[New shoot]

Oh dear 

I've had older girls go downhill during a cold snap, so some time inside may just perk her up.  Sometimes they bounce back and sometimes they don't.  The yellow mess is most likely just droppings.  If she has been off colour and not eating well, this can happen.  Cleaning her up and making her feel more herself was the best thing to do.  They do seem to give up even trying to clean themselves if it gets bad like that.

She is warm and comfortable, so you are doing your best for her.  A vet trip for an elderly hen can be too traumatic to take and in truth they can't do much if it is just old age.  As long as she is eating and drinking and does not seem distressed, she will decide whether its time to go to the big chicken coop in the sky, or not 

[grinling]

Good luck with her. The hardest choice is when to do a kindly deed, I still prefer them to go on their own accord. Mine can look hunched on very cold mornings like today,a bowl of warm porridge can help, until the sun warms the polytunnel.

[barley]

sometimes you can be unlucky and loose them close together

they can pick up so many illnesses its hard to say what could be wrong

a tonic might help and keep the poorly one in somewhere warm and quite

[themagicaltoad1]

Just to update. She has been kept in a cat box indoors for most of yesterday and last night, and seemed a bit brighter this morning. She's eating, drinking and doing a lot of dozing, (actually that sounds more like me!), so I put her back in with the others but she's just standing in the coop on her own. Might have to bring her in again later. The only real enthusiasm she has shown was when I gave her a grape. Her brother is like a doddery old man, I think the only thing keeping him going is his love for an even older hen, they're like Darby & Joan. These are the first hens/ cock we hatched so we're particularly attached to them.

[grinling]

I know what you are going  through. After moving up here Snowy went blind and wasn't eating and drinking, but wanted to sleep. My BIL did the deed as I couldn't.
Providing she is eating/drinking let time takes it cause.

[nerdle]

My vet charges £10 - quick and painless.  Thank goodness becouse I could never do it.

[themagicaltoad1]

Well, she's still with us, has perked up a bit and showing more interest in things, so I guess it's just not her time yet. I won't be doing the deed on her as she's not suffering, just old, she'll go in her own time.

[grinling]

Glad she has improved

[New shoot]

I won't be doing the deed on her as she's not suffering, just old, she'll go in her own time.

If she is getting better she deserves a chance    It may have been a passing minor illness and she was just less able to cope with it outside as an elderly hen.  I have my fingers crossed for you that she stays a while longer 

[themagicaltoad1]

Pleased to say she seems pretty much back to her normal self, and is mixing again with the other hens. I guess it just isn't her time yet.

[New shoot]

 Great news

[themagicaltoad1]

"Onion" died yesterday. It was pretty much a repeat of her episode in January, just standing around looking miserable for much of the day. I took her out of the coop and gave her a warm bath to clean her mucky rear. When I went to put her down she just keeled over and flapped for a bit so I picked her up again and she died in my arms.
The saddest sight though, was while I was preparing her bath she had gone into the coop and laid down. Her brother, (our doddery old cockerel Pingu), had laid down next to her and stretched his wing across her as if he was cuddling her. I wish I had taken a picture it was such a lovely thing to see. He's such an old softy when one of his girls is unwell or broody, he will sit with them and keep them company for hours. He's now the last one from that batch we hatched 6 yrs ago.

[barley]

very sad (((( hugs ))))

[grinling]

so sorry, but I am glad you were there.