I have, or did have until 4:30 today, a little seven month old BO hen named Hops. She had some mysterious injury 3 months or so ago that left her with a limp when she ran and unable to fly up on even the shortest roost. I would find her sitting on a milk crate and put her up on the roost each night. After a couple months the limp was resolved but you could see her left leg was much stronger and bigger than her right.
She laid a 3 inch long double yolker when she very first started laying. The only one I have ever had from my chickens. Then I noticed a blood spot in one of her eggs. Then I found a shell-less egg under her spot on the roost one morning. I had a girl like this in my first batch of hens and she died of becoming egg bound, so all the indications were there that eventually Hops would suffer the same fate.
This afternoon I found her still, panting and pale. I brought her up to the house and a couple seconds after I put her in the water she seized and died. I then saw the broken egg residue leak out of her vent.
Even though I saw the signs, I still grieve so badly when they die.
RIP little Hops.
She laid a 3 inch long double yolker when she very first started laying. The only one I have ever had from my chickens. Then I noticed a blood spot in one of her eggs. Then I found a shell-less egg under her spot on the roost one morning. I had a girl like this in my first batch of hens and she died of becoming egg bound, so all the indications were there that eventually Hops would suffer the same fate.
This afternoon I found her still, panting and pale. I brought her up to the house and a couple seconds after I put her in the water she seized and died. I then saw the broken egg residue leak out of her vent.
Even though I saw the signs, I still grieve so badly when they die.
RIP little Hops.
