Hector's World: Adventures and Mayhem at Mountain View Poultry (or Sequel to The Evolution of Atlas

[speckledhen]

Thea's comb is purple and I think I'll lose her. I made her eggs with some liver, added a squeeze of vitamin E to that. She picks at it, isn't really eating, which has been the problem with her all along this few weeks, being picky at eating things that all the others just inhale. Her keel is sharp and I have no idea what happened with her. Maybe she was only programmed to live four years, who knows? She has not laid an egg in a couple of months, as far as I know. Hector dances for her, but rarely actually grabs her, as if he knows she is ailing.

But, right now, I am in survival mode. My right knee is excruciatingly painful and swollen. I need to stay off it, but I can't because Tom's back is awful as well. So, having to do chicken chores plus garden chores is not easy right now. And treating ailing birds is another burden. I have done all I can for Thea at this point, I think.

 

[getaclue]

speckled, I fully understand what you mean about some chickens not being "programmed" to live longer than others. Production hens are like that. I could get them to live a good bit longer than what others considered to be their normal lifespan, but still not nearly as long as my BA's.

Sorry to hear about your knee being so bad. Have you been to the doctor with it? If it goes on hurting you too long, go have them take a look at it.

 

[speckledhen]

I have been nowhere since Feb. And I just changed my dr since mine died. So, I have an appt in Oct, have to go because I have to get lab work due to my thyroid. I only go once a year, or have been, but not sure about this new doc. I just have to have her until Medicare in just over a year. I'm doing exercises to keep it as limber as I can, but I need to quit running out there, going down the 10 steps and back up numerous times during the day (but, I can't. I have birds).

 

[speckledhen]

Sweet Thea guzzling water from the dryer pan we use to allow them cool water to stand in on hot days. Hector likes to wade in there as well. She ate some tomato today and drank some V-8 juice; I know it has salt, but she was not eating anything and she loves tomato.

 

[speckledhen]

RIP Thea. We showed her body to Hector. He kept gently shaking her. It was heartbreaking to watch. I have no idea what happened with her, but I tried everything I knew. We have too much happening to do a necropsy and it would not change the outcome anyway. She was the most lovable hen we've had in a long time. I wonder at times if hens with genetic issues, something that seems as innocuous as wry tail, have other issues that cut their lives shorter than they would be otherwise. Zara and Athena are dwarf gene carriers and they're just a few months older than Thea so I guess we'll see what happens with them.

 

[1muttsfan]

I'm so sorry to hear it. My condolences.

 

[speckledhen]

I'll miss her. She was so sweet.

 

[getaclue]

Awwww, I'm sorry you lost her.

 

[speckledhen]

Awwww, I'm sorry you lost her.

Thanks, Cheryl, me, too. I tried for weeks, gave her special food and vitamins, did everything I knew how. She just was not going to recover from whatever it was.

 

[getaclue]

Sadly, we both know that happens sometimes. It's not about the quality of care. It's more than that.