Having a really bad run

Hi,

As much as anything I just need to get this off my chest 

Having started off with 6 chooks 3 years ago, I am now down to a shaky 4

I lost Ronnie to peritonitis at the beginning of the year.  Our top chook and not the one I thought we would loose first and a bit of a shock.

Then 3 weeks ago, I noticed Layla was off colour.  We identified sour crop on the day I went on hols!  My poor mum who was house/cat/chook sitting managed to nurse her through with frantic texts and calls from me abroad!

4 days after getting back from hols I lost my beautiful Henrietta which was both sudden and stressful. On reading through here, I think it may have been possible she had an impacted crop that caused a blockage - I will never know, but I do know I do not want to see any of my other chooks go through what she went through!

Now today, I have had to book a vets visit for our little Tilly.  Bottom in the pecking order she is showing signs of being unwell. I am worried she has the duck waddle associated with peritonitis and she seems to be heavy breathing which I am not sure if she has always done or if I have turned into a paranoid mummy  :blink:.  Bless her she also has rather raw skin round her neck and breast area, which again I am not too sure if this is down to mites or bullying. 

I know they don't live for ever, but was rather hoping the could space out their problems a bit more 

Fingers crossed for the Friday vet visit anyway.

I now have 1 white sussex called Felicity (Ronnie was one) 1 Black Rock Tilly (Henrietta was one) and 2 Blue Marans Layla (our nursed chook) & Bluebell.

I thought they all had life spans of a bit more than 3 years?

I have always been meticulous in cleaning their house and making sure I am doing everthing I should be, so I guess I must just be having an unlucky spell 

On the upside the other 3 are looking just fine 

Thank you for replying.

They do free range less in the summer than the winter as I have a little boy Charlie, and he will always fall over in chicken poo on the lawn  :blink:

Having said that they have a large run (15ft by 8ft) so plenty of room, albeit no grass(they demolished the grass within days of moving in!).  I have had to educate Charlie of late.  He loves to feed them grass so we are now making sure it is in small bits before feeding them.

Thanks for the advice.  As I said fingers crossed for Friday re Tilly and I am told that I am just being a bit over paranoid! 

Not good news I am afraid.

As I feared poor little Tilly had peritonitis and I had to leave her with the Vet 

The only re-assuring thing was the vet said it wasn't down to anything I had or hadn't done.

To loose 2 of our girls through different illnesses in less than 1 week is tough and to be honest feel pretty rubbish right now!


I know some will think I am daft for getting upset over a chook, but they are my chooks...

Still I know she had a good life, eating lots of slugs and bugs and she is now roosting with my Ronnie & Henrietta xx

poor you- just remember you did your best for your girls and they had a happy time with your family

Thank you so much for all your kind replies.

Both Tilly, Henrietta and Ronnie did have great lives, just a shame they were all as short as they were 

Thank you Hillfooter, I think that was what the vet was trying to tell me.

Never an easy decision to make, but at least I can spot the symptoms (even if its a bit too late) and make sure that they don't suffer....and in the meantime enjoy them and ensure they are happy chooks. 

Em