- May 3, 2011
- 49
- 63
- 119
Is there a thread for this? I realize that many people keep chickens to eat or otherwise use. We keep our girls to enjoy and care for and eat whatever eggs they leave. Perhaps we shouldn't have hens. Maybe we are too "soft". We lost another hen yesterday. We lose one or two a year. None of our hens live longer than 7 years, most have lived only 3. The last one that died was being treated at a chicken vet. There was a necropsy done after she was euthanized but no test for virus. She believed that our hen had IB. We don't know how long we've had it or who brought it in. It explained most of the symptoms and our flock health. We generally buy two hens per year from the same breeder. I rescued three at different times from the shelter I worked at.
We were told the best plan is to wait until our girls are all dead then disinfect thoroughly and buy a flock from the same source. We don't think that we will want chickens anymore by that time. Has anyone else had this kind of experience, any wisdom for us. We are incredibly sad and feel like failures.
We were told the best plan is to wait until our girls are all dead then disinfect thoroughly and buy a flock from the same source. We don't think that we will want chickens anymore by that time. Has anyone else had this kind of experience, any wisdom for us. We are incredibly sad and feel like failures.