Drained a Hen's Abdomen.. Rest in Peace, Olivia 11-5-10

[speckledhen]

Heather, you may never see this at all and I pray that you don't! I was thinking you had the less productive layers, generally, and that alone may save you from dealing with this crud. I'm hoping that when all my hatchery stock is gone (I have six more hatchery birds left), I won't see it again for a very, very long time. Olivia and Tux's mother was a McMurray Barred Rock and their dad was a crossbreed whose origin was unknown.

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

Quote:
Yeah...there's a reason my chickens are rare! LOL Thank you for the information....I was considering getting hatchery Dom's next spring, too! (For insect control and "eating" eggs!)

 

[speckledhen]

RIP, Tux. She passed away overnight. No idea what the heck happened other than her reproductive malfunction. It really looked like a stroke would in a human. Livvie is still kicking, though.

 

[EweSheep]

Oh I am so sorry Cyn! At least she is not suffering anymore! RIP Tux!

 

[speckledhen]

I'd much rather it happen fast like that than for them to linger like Olivia has. Here is a picture of Tux (on the right) bullying Fern when she was a teenager. It was odd to see Sunny attack Tux yesterday because nobody ever bullied Tux, period, not ever. I took that as a sign that Tux was on her last legs.

 

[chickensioux]

So sorry for the loss of beautiful Tux.

 

[speckledhen]

I feel like this is an end to an era. Tux, Olivia and Kate were three lookalike accidental crossbreeds from the first batch of eggs we ever incubated, but we were completely charmed by the Poufy Head Sisters, as we called them. Kate died of crop stasis last year, Tux is gone and Olivia won't be far behind. I'll miss them. They were the sweetest, most personable little hens you'd ever want. Olivia raised a batch of chicks, Tux went broody last year, but I had so many broodies at the time, I didn't give her eggs. I almost wish I had now.

When Olivia goes, I'll be down to 33 chickens from an all-time high of 55.

 

[Year of the Rooster]

Oh my, I'm so sorry, speckledhen

I don't have much to say other than you have my sympathies and I hope Olivia passes quick and painlessly. But if you ever need more poofy heads I've got some Silkies

 

[speckledhen]

Brad, you're very sweet. You know, the Poufy Head Sisters were 1/4 Silkie, but the only sign of that was their little modified poufs. I'm not sure I could make the transition to an actual Silkie, though, LOL.

 

[dmccann]

I am so sorry,Darlene