I honestly have no idea how she is still alive, but she is.
She stayed holed up in her nest box again today. She has eaten maybe 4 kernels of corn and a similar amount of shrimp and had a few sips of water.
She really only eats when I offer it to her by hand - it is like she does it just to please me.
I tried to encourage her to have more but she scolded me and moved to the box next door to stop me bothering her.
There is no question in my mind that she is dying. I check with her every hour or so and each time I expect I will find her dead, instead she lifts her head and says hi, and then goes back to sleep.
I don't know whether to hasten the inevitable. I don't want her to suffer, but I am fearful of needing to put her down. I don't see a lot of signs of distress or pain. She just seems very, very tired. I am hoping she goes in her sleep. Of course I am really hoping she suddenly turns a corner, but I know we are well past that stage.
I am a bit of a wreck. She has been a real companion, more so than any of the others, though I have loved them all. In a way I am already mourning because she hasn't been in my face for several days now and I miss her.
I am also constantly stressed by the thoughts around whether I need to put her down, and dealing with her body.
I am also worrying about my depleted flock of two, and will Diana survive through the winter.
I think Bernie and Diana know Maggie is dying. Up until today they were sitting with her. Diana once even got into the nest box and sat with her beak-to-beak for a couple of hours. But today they are not paying any attention to her at all. It is like they already said their good byes.
Sorry, probably too much information.
