Drained a Hen, First Time in Years....Removed 660 cc Yellow Fluid RIP, HOPE *GRAPHIC PHOTOS ADDED

[j1koo]

I was looking for stuff on scaly legs and came across your post - what an amazing hen, so strong.

 

[speckledhen]

Yes, she certainly is. It will be interesting to see what's been going on inside her when she passes, but she's still fighting to live and she dives for food every time extra goodies are offered. If she was hatchery stock, she'd be long gone, in my opinion, but she's made of much stronger stuff, this one.

Welcome to BYC! I see you have Barred Rocks, my favorite.


Here is a photo of Hope with her friend Nugget-she's the tall one behind Nugget. BIG framed hen, huge. You'd never know unless you picked her up that she's like a bony carcass with fluff. They came from the same breeder, so are of related lines. Nugget is going on 7 years old now and has never had any egg issues, though she no longer lays eggs.

 

[j1koo]

Thanks. Ahh, they're lovely. My husband wants to get some Buff Orpington. Not easy to get special breeds here, so we bring the eggs over from England. I will be interested in the conclusion when Hope passes.

My Barred rooster is my favourite of all my chickens - love him - he's huge.

 

[speckledhen]

Hope passed away tonight of a massive heart attack. She had two giant tumors (totaling over a pound), no other pathology, everything looked fine, no worms, no reproductive cancer apparent. RIP, big girl. You fought hard.

 

[JensChickies]

Hope passed away tonight of a massive heart attack. She had two giant tumors (totaling over a pound), no other pathology, everything looked fine, no worms, no reproductive cancer apparent. RIP, big girl. You fought hard.

Awwww I'm sorry speckledhen. You gave her as much comfort as you could. RIP Hope.

 

[speckledhen]

Awwww I'm sorry speckledhen. You gave her as much comfort as you could. RIP Hope.

Thank you, we tried. She was one of the strongest hens I've ever seen. Still trying to figure out what the tumors actually were, but she quit laying at less than a year old so they'd been growing for two years, at least.

Her older "sister", another Buff Orp out of the same breeder lines, Nugget, would sleep under the roost with Hope when she could no longer jump up there. The blue hen and the bantam Cochin rooster sleep on the roost shelf. When Hope died, they were all making these keening noises, all so upset. After he brought Hope's body up to the house, I told DH to go back out and make sure Nugget got up on the shelf with the others since it was almost midnight and very dark. She got back in the corner and when Xander kept whining and whimpering, she laid her head across his little back. It was so touching to see her trying to comfort him. He was a little guy and they didn't like his amorous advances, but he took great care of his big old hens. Sadly, I gave him hens with fast expiration dates. He's less than 2 years old and his remaining two hens are approaching 7 years old now. Will have to figure what to do with sweet little Xander when Nugget and Dusty both pass on without getting more birds.

 

[JensChickies]

Thank you, we tried. She was one of the strongest hens I've ever seen. Still trying to figure out what the tumors actually were, but she quit laying at less than a year old so they'd been growing for two years, at least.

Her older "sister", another Buff Orp out of the same breeder lines, Nugget, would sleep under the roost with Hope when she could no longer jump up there. The blue hen and the bantam Cochin rooster sleep on the roost shelf. When Hope died, they were all making these keening noises, all so upset. After he brought Hope's body up to the house, I told DH to go back out and make sure Nugget got up on the shelf with the others since it was almost midnight and very dark. She got back in the corner and when Xander kept whining and whimpering, she laid her head across his little back. It was so touching to see her trying to comfort him. He was a little guy and they didn't like his amorous advances, but he took great care of his big old hens. Sadly, I gave him hens with fast expiration dates. He's less than 2 years old and his remaining two hens are approaching 7 years old now. Will have to figure what to do with sweet little Xander when Nugget and Dusty both pass on without getting more birds.

Oh my goodness....that pulled on my heart string so much. I hope they recoupe, especially Nugget and Xander. It's amazing how animals can grieve and if you know your animal you know exactly what is going on. Hang in there.

 

[speckledhen]

Oh my goodness....that pulled on my heart string so much. I hope they recoupe, especially Nugget and Xander. It's amazing how animals can grieve and if you know your animal you know exactly what is going on. Hang in there.

I'm slogging through moving our website over to a new host/server today, inputting store items (what a job!) and DH did chicken chores. I asked how they were doing today. He said Xander keeps going back inside and looking around and then he starts whimpering. I feel so bad for him! He only had three hens and he's a precious little guy. I hope he doesn't make himself sick grieving over Hope.

 

[JensChickies]

I'm slogging through moving our website over to a new host/server today, inputting store items (what a job!) and DH did chicken chores. I asked how they were doing today. He said Xander keeps going back inside and looking around and then he starts whimpering. I feel so bad for him! He only had three hens and he's a precious little guy. I hope he doesn't make himself sick grieving over Hope.

Awwww Xander! What a sweetie pie. Maybe you can give them their absolute favorite treats. Just to cheer them up a little.

 

[speckledhen]

Awwww Xander! What a sweetie pie. Maybe you can give them their absolute favorite treats. Just to cheer them up a little.

I will do that. He's a peach of a little rooster and he deserves it. I also feel for Nugget. She and Hope were the only Buffs and they always slept side by side, though Nugget was dominant over her. Dusty is a mean old grumpy heffalump of a hen in her old age so Nuggs has no friend in Dusty unless something shifts with the loss of Hope.