- Nov 13, 2011
- 147
- 5
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Yesterday, I experienced the event that pet chicken owners dread, the untimely death of a hen.
Zelda was an Astralorp approximately 2 weeks old when we acquired her, by then we had gradually introduced the others that would soon be her sisters.
Right away she was very tenacious and headstrong we almost thought she'd turn out a rooster, but grew up to became a beautiful, iridescent hen.
Before we had a run for them to stay in, they'd just roam the backyard scratching at and destroying almost every plant in sight, and we'd open the back door they would come running up hoping for something, say if I had brought out a banana, I'd leave the peel so as to keep the fruit from getting all dirty, but Zelda would yank the peel from right under and run all over the yard with it dangling from her mouth while the others gave chase, her extra puffy thigh and butt feathers swaying to and fo (we called them her pantaloons).
Once the run was built some of the girls came around to being held, and all Zelda would do is jab me in the leg for what seemed like no apparent reason, I figured that if she wanted to be held she'd just jump right up, and for the longest time I just thought that was just her thing; being a jerk to all the others. So one day while hanging out in the run and pecking me like always, I picked her up and sat her on my lap. And with that it felt different, a realization actually, this is what she wanted all along, to be held, and loved like a baby, sometimes when holding Zelda, she's pop her head out from under my arm and stare back at me with her bright little eyes, almost like she was staring into my soul.
So now I had 3 lap babies: Zelda, Millie (buff orphington), and Clea (ameraucana) which was hard to manage holding all three, Zelda would be so jealous when others got attention because after all, she was my princess now.
Up till a few months ago things were going good, till we noticed she wasn't laying eggs, and her vent looked drippy and gross which for a while had no clue what was wrong, till finding out that it was most likely Gleet, so I washed her up a few times and blew dry after, but it didn't seem to improve much, Next we got some anti-fungal cream and fed yogurt, and for a while she was doing alright and her butt was clearing up nicely. Then I guess out of a lapse in knowing it got worse again, and it wasn't till yesterday that it really showed as serious, she was in the coop up against a corner hunched over, wattles and comb very pale.
So I set up our large kennel with paper and bedding and brought her in, I gave her some yogurt and let her rest. In the evening I figured it was a good time to soak her poor bum for a while, she was so calm, almost limp, but I just took that as her being relaxed in the warm water.
For the rest of the evening after drying her down, I had her laying on my bed atop a towel and low set heating pad with a tray of yogurt, a couple of times she perked up and moved a few inches before flopping down again, thinking that maybe she was getting energy back.
Then at around 9 pm, I was sitting with her on the bed watching TV, when she starting flailing able, not sure what was going on I called for mom, she comes in and we're both just there holding her, after a few more spasms she stopped and her eyes closed.
We immediately dug up a spot for her right near the run and stacked some large rocks on top.
I regret not doing something right away, thinking that with all our love nothing could go wrong, or figuring out that she wanted affection sooner.
But I am grateful for the invaluable experience of raising her, and just being there at the end.
Thank you.
