I think I killed my poor chicken trying to help her

[evelynchicks]

Thanks so much for responding. I stayed up late trying to figure out if I killed her and at the end my I believe what my husband told me. That I had put so many gallons of warm water that the Epsom salt was not the reason and also that she didn't really drink the whole little bit of of the liquid but tasted it. I felt better, but also still very sad and missing her. I'm very new at having chicken. I wish I would of helped her three days ago when I saw her sort of taking a break and napping a bit. I thought she was just sleepy. Thanks for your words!

 

[evelynchicks]

So sorry for your loss We do the best we can & pray for the best.

Thanks!

 

[evelynchicks]

So sorry for your loss. I agree that a necropsy would be best.

We just didn't want to even try anymore. First time having chicken. Not easy to do that. Too painful to see her gone. Maybe I shouldn't be this sentimental, but I can't help it.

 

[evelynchicks]

I lost a cockatiel to being egg bound many years ago, she died under the care of a vet and I can relate to how hard it is to lose a beloved pet, I'm sorry for your loss. if it's any consolation, recovering from being egg bound is very difficult and often leads to fatality. I suppose it's possible that what you did sped up the outcome, but I doubt it changed things. I would not be too hard on yourself. birds in the wild are up against difficult odds and I bet she had a better life under your care than she would have otherwise.

I had her since she was one week old. I will miss her! I was looking forward to spring for them.

 

[evelynchicks]

Aawww... I am so deeply sorry for your loss. Big hug.
I honestly don’t know what caused her death, but I can tell you I relate. I had a sick hen (who was likely going to eventually succumb to her illness, in retrospect,) but my actions in trying to help her definitely sent her over the edge. It’s very heartbreaking and makes you feel terrible. I’m so sorry. I hope you can find some comfort in knowing you did your best and your sweet girl probably understood you were trying to help her.

Thank you!

 

[JesusHChicken]

We just didn't want to even try anymore. First time having chicken. Not easy to do that. Too painful to see her gone. Maybe I shouldn't be this sentimental, but I can't help it.

It's ok. Don't feel bad about being sentimental. Having compassion for a living breathing life form is nothing to be ashamed of. We raise our chickens for eggs and meat. For me, it's not easy come slaughter time. I talk to them and thank them for their life.

I also totally understand the not knowing. Questioning ourselves if we did anything wrong or could have done something different.

From your statements you did all the right things for a possible egg impaction. From what I've read it's difficult to manage.

You did your best. Give it another shot, it's chicken season

 

[evelynchicks]

Sorry, I cannot say for sure either what caused her death and therefor if what you did had any negative effect on her - my guess is probably not - as others have said, they do go into a death spasm sometimes and it seems like your hen was on the way there when you tried to help and you may have actually slowed it down by a short time, I doubt that you caused her death - it was probably on the way and you were just there for her at the end - maybe the warm bath at least felt good to her at the end

I never heard of a bath or calcium killing a bird like this - maybe a whole bottle of tums, but not a small amount - it is good to have doubts and to ask for input from others to learn and possibly help more effectively if it ever happens again, but other than that, I think we need to take a deep breath and accept that we cannot always change what life has in store and that is not our fault

I can relate to the doubts about the amounts of meds and help given, but please don't panic - you did the best you could in a very difficult situation with limited information to go by and with the threat of losing a loved one if doing too little and if doing the wrong thing and if doing nothing, so something had to be done and that is all any of us can do

Agree that necropsy would be your best bet to find out more - sometimes state vets do it for free - call your state agency and find out - it needs to be done soon after death and/or the body should be keep at refrigeration temperatures - and to be honest, they don't always solve the mystery, but often they can

don't be hard on yourself please - I have been there and many others, I am sure, as well - when a bird gets sick, by the time we see it, it is often very sick and sometimes too late because they hide it so well from their flock mates (part of nature to stay alive) - then when we try to help, we are really in a tough spot - good for you for trying to help! I wish it had ended differently, but you did what you could and now the other bird still needs you - my husband keeps telling me, when I am upset about a loss, to focus on the ones that are still there

still, I understand, and it is ok, I think, to miss the ones we knew that are gone now - they are all such characters and special to us

Thanks so much that help a lot to read what you wrote! I have a lot to learn.

 

[evelynchicks]

I went next day to find a chicken. I went to John's live Poultry in Chicago. I found a chicken that needed to be rescued, About 20 chicken in one cage. I could only take one. I went and got a spray for bird against lice and mites just in case. Let her stay in my house for one day and a half. I took her finally to meet my chicken friend of the one that died. I was so disappointed that my new rescued chicken was so mean and started pecking at my chicken. My husband put some chicken wire and divided the coop so they can see each other, but not peck each other. Hopefully the new chicken can learn to respect my chicken and be a friend.
This is how my new rescued chicken looks. Like the one in the video.

She looks like a dehydrated buff Orpington to me as now.

Do you think the new chicken can learn to be less violent?