Florry died. 8th Dec

[oesdog]

Hi

We lost another hen at the start of the week.
Florry was about 6 yrs old. She had been through a severe molt lately and has not been laying in quite a few months.
I went to feed the hens and let them out on Monday before we rushed off to the airport to visit family on the mainland. Sadly this meant I had a limited amount of time to spend with the girls.

Once I had filled the water and feeders I let them out but the Two RIRs Florry and Aggy did not come out. I just thought it was due to the cold so went and opened up the egg hatch to check. Aggy was standing over Florry who had made her way to the straw in the laying area. She usually roosts with her sister on the bars. But this time she was in the box. I went to move her and she was stiff - so I put Aggy out and gently lifted her and to my surprise her eyes were moving. I wrapped her up in my coat next to my jumper and went for DH. She ralied a bit and put her head up to him when he came for her. The oddest thing is that she was ridged with rigor from the base of her neck down. It had not been overly cold here about 3/4 digrees and they have loads of extra bedding and all the other girls are healthy and warm? Anyhow we made the hard choice of DH finishing her off as we could not leave her like that and there was little chance that movement would return to her lower half?

Has this happened to anyone else as it was like one half of her had died and the other half forgot to join in? I can only think that as usual in our coop they all decided they wanted to lay in the same place and she might have gotten squashed and broken her back?

Any thoughts?
We miss here and now I am down to only 6 girls and only 5 of those actually lay anything at all!

Oes

 

[theoldchick]

Sorry for your loss. I've had aged parrots do as you described and the veterinarian said the symptoms were caused by a stroke or possible tumor on the spine/brain. Heavy metal poisoning is also a possibility.

 

[oesdog]

Thanks for that. They don;t have any contact with metal so I guess it must have been a stroke or such like. She was elderly and had not laid an egg in months so I guess it was expected really as the temperature here starts to fall.

Sad though and dear Aggy stayed with her and stood over her and it was hard to part them as Aggy didn;t want to leave her sister. I do so believe they have feeling and know more than we think they do!

Oes

 

[joannefiddler]

So sorry for your loss! These feathered creatures worm their way deep into our hearts. I dare say six years old is oodles of human years. I'm sure she had a wonderful life being cared for by people like you and your husband.

 

[Eggcessive]

So sorry to hear about your hen, Florry.

 

[oesdog]

Thanks for that.

Now I am down to only 6 hens again.
I started with 6 hens such a long time ago now. I have been with BYC for nearly 5 yrs now and so it seems amazing that I still have 6 hens! lol
And amongst that little troop is Isobella - the only one left of the original 6 hens DH bought me because I had a lump and the Hospital thought it Cancer. I had to wait 8 weeks for the all clear and all the test etc. So DH got me Hens to take my mind off everything! lol And Isobella is still here after all these years. Yes they do find a spot in your heart indeed they do!

Oes