So, we had this RIR named Annie. She was the friendliest of our flock and would act almost like a rooster. She was always the last one into the coop every night, after she made her "rounds" around their fenced area. She always slept on the bottom roost, closest to the door, facing out to the door while everyone else huddled together on the other roosts facing away from the door. She had a pretty bad prolapse about a month ago. We restricted her diet and daylight, kept her inside for several days, and cleaned her multiple times a day and she healed up. She even laid some after and seemed to be doing well. But, yesterday she had a severe prolapse- bigger than a tennis ball with some necrotic tissue and such (maybe left from the last injury?). The first time this happened she acted normal and still wanted to eat and scratch. I thought about trying to save her again, but this time she was suffering I think since she really just wanted to lay around and wasn't interested in her watermelon treat or anything. She was the fastest to mature (we actually thought she might be a rooster for a while), so I think she just matured too fast and was a victim of bad genetics. I knew axing was the most humane way, but I couldn't do it myself (she was my favorite if you cannot tell). My poor husband did it after dark. We let her roost like normal and she really slept/stayed relaxed through the whole process, according to my husband. I guess getting them while they are sleeping is probably a good way to do it. Anyway, now we are down to 7 and I am sad, but I am also proud of us that we were able to do the best thing for her even though it was hard. OK thanks for letting me get all that out.
