mushytrousers
In the Brooder
- Jul 19, 2022
- 5
- 7
- 14
Hello, I’m new to the page so I hope this is the right way to ask questions & get advice. I’m new to keeping chickens and ducks and have had my current flock of birds for a few months now.
I found my absolute favourite of the lot, a young polish hen, dying today when I went out to feed them. She passed in my arms some time after finding her, and I’m so distraught over it. I have no clue how / why she died.
This little hen was the friendliest creature I’ve ever met. She would follow me around, come when called, sit happily in my lap and enjoy cuddles. She was the first to eat from my hand and I truly believe she loved me and the attention.
She started acting strange about a week ago. Still super friendly and overall her typical self. She was still eating, drinking and getting on with the others.
It all started a week ago when I found her laying flat down, partially on her side in the mud. The rain was really bad and she was very wet. I brought her inside, dried her off and warmed her up before putting her back in the coop for the night. While I had her inside I snipped some of her facial feathers, as she was struggling to see past her little signature polish bowl cut.
Following that day, I would find her in similar positions when out feeding them. She would be laying down, ever so slightly leaning on one side/wing, and seemed to struggle to get up. She would eventually, and some days she showed no trouble at all.
The night after putting her back from the rain incident, I found her trying to sleep in the duck’s area on the ground outside the coop, which she had never done before. She did it again the following two nights, and eventually I found she was struggling to make the jump onto the ramp to their coop, something she has never had difficulty with in the past. I wondered if maybe me trimming her feathers put her off balance somehow, but it just didn’t make sense.
When I went out to feed them all this afternoon, I found her on her back, feet in the air and on deaths door. I thought she had already died when I picked her up, but she hasn’t yet. She was definitely on her way out though. She kept convulsing slightly in my hands, her head lolling to one side and then the next moment upright. She would open and close her eyes at random intervals, to the point where I thought she had died, only for the next moment her to look at me.
I’m so upset over this, she was my absolute favourite and more a pet than anything. I’d hate to know I’ve done something wrong or missed something crucial.
Any advice would help, thank you and apologies for the long post.
I found my absolute favourite of the lot, a young polish hen, dying today when I went out to feed them. She passed in my arms some time after finding her, and I’m so distraught over it. I have no clue how / why she died.
This little hen was the friendliest creature I’ve ever met. She would follow me around, come when called, sit happily in my lap and enjoy cuddles. She was the first to eat from my hand and I truly believe she loved me and the attention.
She started acting strange about a week ago. Still super friendly and overall her typical self. She was still eating, drinking and getting on with the others.
It all started a week ago when I found her laying flat down, partially on her side in the mud. The rain was really bad and she was very wet. I brought her inside, dried her off and warmed her up before putting her back in the coop for the night. While I had her inside I snipped some of her facial feathers, as she was struggling to see past her little signature polish bowl cut.
Following that day, I would find her in similar positions when out feeding them. She would be laying down, ever so slightly leaning on one side/wing, and seemed to struggle to get up. She would eventually, and some days she showed no trouble at all.
The night after putting her back from the rain incident, I found her trying to sleep in the duck’s area on the ground outside the coop, which she had never done before. She did it again the following two nights, and eventually I found she was struggling to make the jump onto the ramp to their coop, something she has never had difficulty with in the past. I wondered if maybe me trimming her feathers put her off balance somehow, but it just didn’t make sense.
When I went out to feed them all this afternoon, I found her on her back, feet in the air and on deaths door. I thought she had already died when I picked her up, but she hasn’t yet. She was definitely on her way out though. She kept convulsing slightly in my hands, her head lolling to one side and then the next moment upright. She would open and close her eyes at random intervals, to the point where I thought she had died, only for the next moment her to look at me.
I’m so upset over this, she was my absolute favourite and more a pet than anything. I’d hate to know I’ve done something wrong or missed something crucial.
Any advice would help, thank you and apologies for the long post.
