Illinois...

[ChicagoClucker]

Cuddles update:
My gut tells me she's dying but doing a good job of hiding it. After reading many posts, I believe she had/has ascites or some type of tumors growing. Her eyes are bright, but she's getting thin, & her abdomen just won't soften. Nothing helped with the swelling, so at some point she will weaken. Since she eats & poops a little, I decided to bring her outside with me today. Boy she enjoyed her time outside with the flock! She scratched around, ate grass & seeds, dug holes in the mulch, took a long sand bath,and even had the strength to run away from a romantic rooster. A great chicken day! I left her out there to be with her friends until she shows signs of pain. I can look forward to future chicks, but I'd give them all away to have my Cuddles healthy again. She's my 1st lav orp & a very special pet. (Honestly, I'm tearing up at the thought of letting go.) I hope for more time, but do not want her to suffer for my sake. Please pray for me that I may make the right decisions when needed & that our family can deal with our future loss.

I am so sorry to hear that. I will keep Cuddles and all of you in my thoughts and prayers.

 

[Molpet]

Cuddles update:
My gut tells me she's dying but doing a good job of hiding it. After reading many posts, I believe she had/has ascites or some type of tumors growing. Her eyes are bright, but she's getting thin, & her abdomen just won't soften. Nothing helped with the swelling, so at some point she will weaken. Since she eats & poops a little, I decided to bring her outside with me today. Boy she enjoyed her time outside with the flock! She scratched around, ate grass & seeds, dug holes in the mulch, took a long sand bath,and even had the strength to run away from a romantic rooster. A great chicken day! I left her out there to be with her friends until she shows signs of pain. I can look forward to future chicks, but I'd give them all away to have my Cuddles healthy again. She's my 1st lav orp & a very special pet. (Honestly, I'm tearing up at the thought of letting go.) I hope for more time, but do not want her to suffer for my sake. Please pray for me that I may make the right decisions when needed & that our family can deal with our future loss..

praying that the memories will ease the pain in time.

 

[Junibutt]

Cuddles update:
My gut tells me she's dying but doing a good job of hiding it. After reading many posts, I believe she had/has ascites or some type of tumors growing. Her eyes are bright, but she's getting thin, & her abdomen just won't soften. Nothing helped with the swelling, so at some point she will weaken. Since she eats & poops a little, I decided to bring her outside with me today. Boy she enjoyed her time outside with the flock! She scratched around, ate grass & seeds, dug holes in the mulch, took a long sand bath,and even had the strength to run away from a romantic rooster. A great chicken day! I left her out there to be with her friends until she shows signs of pain. I can look forward to future chicks, but I'd give them all away to have my Cuddles healthy again. She's my 1st lav orp & a very special pet. (Honestly, I'm tearing up at the thought of letting go.) I hope for more time, but do not want her to suffer for my sake. Please pray for me that I may make the right decisions when needed & that our family can deal with our future loss..

So sorry to hear about the situation. However, chicken are sometimes more resilient than we give them credit for. Maybe staying in the company of her friends accompanied with some ACV may work a miracle. You are experienced enough to know when its time.

 

[chickendreams24]

@Faraday40
Praying for you and Cuddles and your family I know you love her and no matter what she knows it too.

 

[Faraday40]

Re: Cuddles
She had a good day yesterday. We're looking at it as hen hospice. She seems to be much happier outside with her flock, so I am checking her abdomen & crop & skipping the tube feedings. When inside, all she did was sit on the floor by my computer chair & stare longingly outside. Now that she is back outside, she's scratching & pecking just as a chicken should. She's still quiet & thin, but not lethargic.

Re: Cookie
We have a broody hen - AGAIN! I put her on some eggs (ones that shouldn't be fertile) for the moment. I'm thinking about swapping them out for a few from the incubator. Those are due to hatch next Tues. Opinions? Do you think that's enough time for Cookie to bond with the eggs? She started what I consider the "pre-broody phase" several days ago, but has been sitting tight ("full broody") for 2 days. She has successfully hatched out eggs before, but I've never tried to shorten her incubation time.

 

[rfreedlund]

Re: Cookie
Do you think that's enough time for Cookie to bond with the eggs?

I have had it work for as little as 10 days. I had a hen sitting on some fertile eggs while I waited for some chicks for her to adopt that an elementary school class had hatched. She adopted them fine despite the chicks being nearly five days old when I got them.

I then considered putting the eggs she was sitting on into the incubator after the chicks arrived but I had a White Leghorn, of all chickens, decide to go broody on me just before the other chicks arrived. I decided to give her the eggs that the other hen had been sitting on and after only 10 days she finished the job and hatched three of the four and raised them very well.

I don't know how many eggs you have in the incubator, but you could try it with a few. I will bet she will do it if she's insistent on sitting.

 

[ChicagoClucker]

Re: Cuddles
She had a good day yesterday. We're looking at it as hen hospice. She seems to be much happier outside with her flock, so I am checking her abdomen & crop & skipping the tube feedings. When inside, all she did was sit on the floor by my computer chair & stare longingly outside. Now that she is back outside, she's scratching & pecking just as a chicken should. She's still quiet & thin, but not lethargic.

Re: Cookie
We have a broody hen - AGAIN! I put her on some eggs (ones that shouldn't be fertile) for the moment. I'm thinking about swapping them out for a few from the incubator. Those are due to hatch next Tues. Opinions? Do you think that's enough time for Cookie to bond with the eggs? She started what I consider the "pre-broody phase" several days ago, but has been sitting tight ("full broody") for 2 days. She has successfully hatched out eggs before, but I've never tried to shorten her incubation time.

Well, I am glad to hear Cuddles is enjoying herself, at least she is happy and around her family.

And in regards to Cookie, everything I have read says that the broody needs to be sitting for at least 2 weeks before hatching anything, but, I say try it! She is an experienced broody mama, she should do just fine.

 

[NotAFarm]

Re: Cuddles
She had a good day yesterday. We're looking at it as hen hospice. She seems to be much happier outside with her flock, so I am checking her abdomen & crop & skipping the tube feedings. When inside, all she did was sit on the floor by my computer chair & stare longingly outside. Now that she is back outside, she's scratching & pecking just as a chicken should. She's still quiet & thin, but not lethargic.

Re: Cookie
We have a broody hen - AGAIN! I put her on some eggs (ones that shouldn't be fertile) for the moment. I'm thinking about swapping them out for a few from the incubator. Those are due to hatch next Tues. Opinions? Do you think that's enough time for Cookie to bond with the eggs? She started what I consider the "pre-broody phase" several days ago, but has been sitting tight ("full broody") for 2 days. She has successfully hatched out eggs before, but I've never tried to shorten her incubation time.

Good to hear Cuddles is back outside and being a chicken!

I say yes, give Cookie the eggs. Since she raised some before, I don't think the short incubation will affect her ability to accept the chicks hatching after only 10 days.

 

[Pixie]

Not sure if it's a good thing, but I just received a swap of eggs for growler of local micro-brew! #lifeisgood #beerissometimesbetter


Anyone else's hens starting to lay like crazy with this weather??? Mine are taking off!

 

[cavemanrich]

growler of local micro-brew! #lifeisgood #beerissometimesbetter

How good is the juice??? Is it comparable to 3 floyds dark lord ??