Well, I just lost my first chicken. My precious Purple died.
We had been reading and reading. My DH found multiple stories where some people were able to either stabilize or at the very least make the chicken comfortable to where it could live out whatever life it had left. Never a cure, unless you spayed. Then you had a chance but seriously, who is going to go through that for a chicken? We knew it would end up this way. She was only 1yr old. We were just hoping to have her a little bit longer. So we drained her ourselves. It was always different colored than what you see them drain out in reference to Ascites. Her drainage always looked like gravy. Gross I know, but is true. We gave her spa soaks. Tried penicillin. Yesterday she was outside enjoying being a chicken. Walking around and pecking and foraging. As the night went on she just declined. This morning she was pretty listless and wouldn't eat or drink. Just wanted to sleep. I was with her when she died. DH is at work. I asked my DH if he wanted me to take her to the Kord Institute, which is Nashville's Institute of Veterinary Medicine and have them do a necropsy on her. He said no. We pretty much know what was wrong with her and it was her alone. Reproductive issues. Nothing contagious. He would like to bury her. I think it being our first loss, for him, he needs it to be this way. I'm ok with it. This just totally bummed out my good mood. I am going to go outside and love on my other chickens for a bit.
