Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[MaryJanet]

I plan to be up before the sun observing. It will be in Phyllis's control tomorrow morning but I will be ready to separate them if needed.

I'm so nervous.

SHRA!!

 

[MaryJanet]

Yup, but I live next to Alaska, so my weather is likely to be colder all the time! I am used to it though. I just about fell over one day when @MaryJanet mentioned keeping her hens alive and well at 45C!

It got up to 46C summer before last!

The misting system was a triumph.

I must get a new one for the funrun before the temps soar.

 

[RoyalChick]

Well, folks, this should be my last post on the thread about dear Ruby. OMG, the report is horrible. My poor, sweet baby. I wish I hadn’t kept her alive so long. Ruby did not have cystic right oviduct, salpingitis nor fatty liver. Her fat stores were depleted and she was severely emaciated due to extensive metatastic ovarian cancer (liver, kidneys, intestines, coelom). The mass did indeed obstruct her duodenum, which could explain why she was so malnourished.

I’m going to crawl into a cave now. I might be joining the cull-all-sick-birds camp. Poor Ruby. Poor, poor sweet Ruby. OMG.

No no. You are not thinking right
You know she had good days and those were your gift to her. She told you when she was ready to go and you kept her safe while she departed.
The cause of her illness doesn’t change any of that and yiu shoukd feel proud of how you helped her.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Well, folks, this should be my last post on the thread about dear Ruby. OMG, the report is horrible. My poor, sweet baby. I wish I hadn’t kept her alive so long. Ruby did not have cystic right oviduct, salpingitis nor fatty liver. Her fat stores were depleted and she was severely emaciated due to extensive metatastic ovarian cancer (liver, kidneys, intestines, coelom). The mass did indeed obstruct her duodenum, which could explain why she was so malnourished.

I’m going to crawl into a cave now. I might be joining the cull-all-sick-birds camp. Poor Ruby. Poor, poor sweet Ruby. OMG.

Hold it. How does that diagnosis, compared to the other possibilities, make this so especially horrible? I think you are experiencing the second-guessing that grief brings. Please forgive the following rant, but I hope this will ease your mind some:

It is not how much cancer you have but what & where it happens to be impinging on, interfering with, pushing against (or not) that causes pain and discomfort. People can go along with a lot of cancer in them and not know it, and I would guess chickens too. That is why cancer is such a sneaky disease. I'm being flippant but in some ways I would rather have deadly cancer than deadly infections like salpingitis, where infection eats away at you right from the get-go and one has pain right away. One can live pain-free with quite a bit of metastasis. The ascites itself causes discomfort because of volume and you did help her there. Cancer in joints and bones can be painful, yes. Unless it originates there, for most people that is close to the end of their journey. Masses in the belly and elsewhere aren't necessarily painful.

But understand that pain can change as the disease of cancer progresses. It can even go away, and then pop up eventually somewhere else. Know that it's not necessarily a cumulative experience of pain as the cancer spreads. Humans can also have extremely painful non-cancerous cysts or growths, or be filled with cancer and be fairly pain-free, it depends. It's a judgement call between patient and doctors on how to treat, what pain meds to give and when and how to administer palliative care when needed. Everyone's experience is unique.

Often, our perception of cancer patients' trials and tribulations - the severe weight loss, the paleness, the hair loss - often that is due to the treatments, which can cause nausea, taste loss, blood problems, etc, not necessarily the cancer! Humans are able to eat a lot of calories. Maybe chickens cannot make it up the way humans can? Cancer is indeed hungry, it is rapid cell division, and weight loss can be due to the inability to keep up with the demands of both the cancer and the normal cell metabolism. But humans may both lose weight or gain weight with undiagnosed cancer. Ruby was eating and pooping up to her last days as I understand it, so in my opinion she was not likely blocked until the very end.

You observed Ruby very carefully. She had what appeared to be many good days in this journey because of your care. Try to remember that.

 

[BY Bob]

I know you've probably already set your alarm, but just in case, get up before Phyllis so she can be out before she thinks of pecking the little ones.

That's the plan. If the littles stay in the nest box with the heat block, Phyllis can't get to them. I hope if I wind up late they are smart enough to stay put.

 

[RoyalChick]

I'm sure Ruby cherished all those extra days with you, even though she was unwell. If she was completely miserable she would have told you. Don't forget all of the good days she had since her diagnosis, more days to live like a chicken and enjoy the world.

Platina isn't completely healthy now, but she eats, excretes, and is trying to stand even though her body isn't ready. She's still fighting so I will too.

Yes. That.

 

[BY Bob]

SHRA!!

View attachment 2857853

Great photo!

 

[bgmathteach]

Warning: Blast from the past...I"m only up to page 868. Keeping up with current & trying to catch up on old is almost impossible!You guys are chatterboxes!!!

Thanks! I cut Hattie out of the photo. I think she was coming over to eat the egg. Check this unedited version!
View attachment 2054832

Maybe Hattie was coming over to confirm that Sansa had earned her 'big girl' status??

 

[LozzyR]

Final Roosting on BY Bob

Every night when I bring the girls inside from their little run they roost on my arm. When we get to my office then they hang out on my arm and from themselves, even nap for a while.

Here they are last night. For the first time someone slips off my arm.

Because of that they adjusted their roosting location. I was a little worried about my head. After all there is precidence.

Aww, snuggles! They had a nap on your shoulder!

 

[BY Bob]

No no. You are not thinking right
You know she had good days and those were your gift to her. She told you when she was ready to go and you kept her safe while she departed.
The cause of her illness doesn’t change any of that and yiu shoukd feel proud of how you helped her.

Well said.