- Oct 26, 2007
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Did she just die of old age?
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Posts: 4021
44 minutes ago
I started out with 17 hens over 12 years ago (12 years 2 mos). They slowly died off of various things. Ever since May, Kiwi was the last one left. She's an easter egger. I was afraid she'd be lonely, but fortunately, she wasn't really very sociable. I did a few things to make life nicer for her........like making a wider window sill in the coop so she could be comfy roosting there at night. She was very energetic and healthy and I thought she'd live a few more years. 2 days ago, I went out in the morning, and she was up on the sill and seemed a bit obtunded. I helped her down and she was very slow. I felt all over her, and she was soft, no mites, no apparent injuries. She didn't go into the run that day. Yesterday she didn't go out either and she slept in the lower-down nesting box. But she did move around a bit and ate some watermelon. But her crop was getting full of liquid. So I thought it was a GI problem......and maybe I'd given her too much scratch (no corn.....mostly black oil sunflower seed). I pushed a bit of the liquid out and put her in a dog crate where I could keep track of her intake and output. She did have some diarrhea. I put some cider vinegar in her water and gave her yogurt.....which she ate a little of.
This morning I went out, and she was dead. She seemed totally healthy 2 days ago and then went quickly. I realize I might never know what the problem was.....since her body seemed fine........but is it possible that her heart just quit? 12 + years is getting pretty old for a chicken, I think.
This is a sad day for me. The coop is empty and quiet. I'm 65+ and I don't really want to get more, when I may not be around as long as the next group is. They sure were wonderful to have though.
Just curious if you think it could have just been old age.......when she had so much energy just a couple days ago.
Thanks.
Lead[-]
Posts: 4021
44 minutes ago
I started out with 17 hens over 12 years ago (12 years 2 mos). They slowly died off of various things. Ever since May, Kiwi was the last one left. She's an easter egger. I was afraid she'd be lonely, but fortunately, she wasn't really very sociable. I did a few things to make life nicer for her........like making a wider window sill in the coop so she could be comfy roosting there at night. She was very energetic and healthy and I thought she'd live a few more years. 2 days ago, I went out in the morning, and she was up on the sill and seemed a bit obtunded. I helped her down and she was very slow. I felt all over her, and she was soft, no mites, no apparent injuries. She didn't go into the run that day. Yesterday she didn't go out either and she slept in the lower-down nesting box. But she did move around a bit and ate some watermelon. But her crop was getting full of liquid. So I thought it was a GI problem......and maybe I'd given her too much scratch (no corn.....mostly black oil sunflower seed). I pushed a bit of the liquid out and put her in a dog crate where I could keep track of her intake and output. She did have some diarrhea. I put some cider vinegar in her water and gave her yogurt.....which she ate a little of.
This morning I went out, and she was dead. She seemed totally healthy 2 days ago and then went quickly. I realize I might never know what the problem was.....since her body seemed fine........but is it possible that her heart just quit? 12 + years is getting pretty old for a chicken, I think.
This is a sad day for me. The coop is empty and quiet. I'm 65+ and I don't really want to get more, when I may not be around as long as the next group is. They sure were wonderful to have though.
Just curious if you think it could have just been old age.......when she had so much energy just a couple days ago.
Thanks.
