Going on Three Weeks

[jolenesdad]

Forgot to say it that be very careful bathing her because once they get this thin a bath can really chill them and send them over the edge.

Oh thank you! I was only going to go at it from the vent. Maybe even coconut oil to break it up and clear things up without bathing her.

I’m not feeling very good. I have no other chickens molting, and I feel like this was brought on by stress. I felt a little good, because she is replacing feathers.... but I imagine that energy is taking whatever reserves she had.

She was fragile to begin with after the attack, and I’m thankful for the time we have had and holding on to some hope that she is still here, maybe a miracle will happen.

I’m going to try and clear the vent but not CLEAN it all... and give some yogurt before bedtime.

So appreciate the advice.

 

[jolenesdad]

This morning I gave her yogurt and she did eat a few bites. Her beak had it on it, but I don’t really know how much of an effort she made...

I think this afternoon I’m going to bathe just her rear in the sun, it’s 104 today. She will be fine to be held with a hairdryer too. I’ll see what I can get photos of.

I’m feeling like it’s time to set a limit though on attempts. To be honest, I feel as though she has been hard to keep weight on since the attack and she is likely in an ongoing pain situation. It’s my and my sons favorite bird, so I want to be really wise and not prolong her suffering when I know I’m tempted to try everything I can to keep her around.

 

[slordaz]

This morning I gave her yogurt and she did eat a few bites. Her beak had it on it, but I don’t really know how much of an effort she made...

I think this afternoon I’m going to bathe just her rear in the sun, it’s 104 today. She will be fine to be held with a hairdryer too. I’ll see what I can get photos of.

I’m feeling like it’s time to set a limit though on attempts. To be honest, I feel as though she has been hard to keep weight on since the attack and she is likely in an ongoing pain situation. It’s my and my sons favorite bird, so I want to be really wise and not prolong her suffering when I know I’m tempted to try everything I can to keep her around.

That's all you can do is do your best just like we tell our kids , as long as it was your best thats all you could do. When I was learning to hatch at high elevations was heart breaking the results until got it figured out, all we can do is our best including if it is needed to cull a suffering bird. We can't save them all but can be merciful in ending their suffering if they are not going to have quality of life

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Just wanted to tell you that I’m sorry that your favorite hen isn’t doing well!!!

 

[jolenesdad]

I’m going to let my girl go today. Yesterday she ate a little scratch. But, she has always been content to see me and sit with me and this morning for the first time I am noticing extreme signs of discomfort and chilling because of her weight. It’s been hard identifying potential signs of improvement and swings from good to bad but I know where we are.

I didn’t want my very first hands on cull to be our absolute favorite girl, but I’m hoping I look back on the situation with some sort of appreciation I was able to do something for her.

I’m heading to a doctors appointment and will do it at lunchtime, please send some positive energy our way.

 

[jolenesdad]

I helped her go today. It was not a pleasant experience, but I wasn't expecting it to be, so it is what it is. It was both more AND less traumatizing than I expected. Whatever that means. Im still sort of working through what I feel, and I'm also sort of dreading the semi-consciousness of my 2.5 year old who is with it enough to be asking what happened to her or where she is. Life, my sweet baby. Life happened, and sometimes it's hard.

I think, though, that he is so young still, she will just have had to go bye-bye right now. We will always have my profile photo!

Long run, I think I will look back with an "appreciation" (I can't think of the right word....) for the fact that I had to do this FOR my favorite hen, that she is the one that took me ALL the way through my chicken journey to the areas I had long been dreading. I've worked REALLY hard through the last year on my anthropomorphic tendencies with my chickens (of course, thanks to @aart) and I am happy with where I am, but always growing, always learning. I'd call where I am right now a "conscious" anthropomorphic tendency, one that I know is just for me and has nothing to DO with the chickens, and one that I am working on, and able to, separate from the reality of what things are.
Hey... rose colored glasses aren't the worst thing are they?

I used the broomstick method, and made some mistakes. I had to do it twice, and I was able to correct them. She was so weak, I was not expecting much flapping, but there was a lot. I was able to hold her body close, realizing this was more for me than her, as she was already gone at that point. I think mistakes are probably to be expected your first time, after watching only videos, and never being involved in such a process before. For anyone who happens to stumble upon this thread in a google search, here is the post that Aart shared with a video demonstration. Broomstick Method Video Shared by Aart. You'll have to click the actual video to get to YouTube to acknowledge the sensitive material. I found this entire post, and the discussion therein, to be really helpful for my preparations.

Thank you to those who offered condolences, good thoughts for recovery, and advice. Thanks for listening.

 

[aart]

You'll have to click the actual video to get to YouTube to acknowledge the sensitive material.

I think it's just that they don't want it viewed on other websites,
so click the link "Watch this video on YouTube".

Sorry you lost your bird it's never easy to euthanize.
It's BitterSweet...having to kill, but ending their suffering.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

I'm so so sorry @jolenesdad. She was a very loved chicken and I'm convinced they know when we care for them as much as you cared for her.

 

[slordaz]

so sorry that it came to that, what a great owner even though it pains us we do what is best for out chicken family, She is at peace and not suffering and felt the love all this time and how much love it took to make that hard decision