ISA Brown, 3rd Summer, Heading for a Natural Death?

[ChickenCanoe]

Another thing that causes chickens to go downhill fast many people don't think about is cancer. I've had a couple die of cancer. One was completely eaten up inside when I took her to the vet school for euthanasia and necropsy.

 

[Wendy Bee]

She will swallow better than you can.

Here's my tutorial on pills and chickens:

We think chickens must have a problem swallowing a large pill just because we do. But their digestive process is different from ours. We begin the digestive process by chewing first, then swallowing. We aren't meant to swallow large chunks. We naturally choke.

Chickens don't have teeth for a good reason. They don't need them. Their digestive process begins after they swallow. The food goes directly into their crop without passing "Go", and then it trickles down into their gizzard where the "chewing" action goes into full swing.

Therefore, chickens can amaze us by swallowing things that we think would choke them, large pills included. But they actually have no problem. Slip the pill into the beak and you'll see it disappear like magic. Unless you don't get it far enough back on the tongue. Chickens can rival dogs and cats at firing a pill across the room like a guided missile, but it's not because they aren't able to swallow it easily.

Well, she's still with us. Drinking little bits of water. Ate a couple bits of crumble out of daughter's hand. Gave second dose of antibiotics this morning. Still very lethargic, and comb is purplish, but stable. Fourteen yo daughter is holding her outside to keep her company and give her a bit of sun and fresh air . 'Victoria' is one of our original chickens and daughter is kind of attached .

 

[Wendy Bee]

An update on our sweet ISA Brown . . . she passed late this morning.

The antibiotics seemed to perk her up for a few days - she was drinking and eating watermelon and mash, but not getting better while not getting worse. Her comb actually went back to normal color, but she did get weaker and weaker over time. She was very interactive with us and her last days were spent by the window where she was brought up as a chick, with us stopping often for pets and gentle words. I'm hoping it was a heart issue and it was a painless process rather than cancer or something like that.
Please no flames for not dispatching her sooner. I know as a chicken owner that time will come, but this was not that time for us.

Our 14 yo daughter took her outside yesterday in the sun, and again this morning (even though it was drizzly) and went out to the coop/run and around the yard, and then the hen passed in her arms . She was so gentle and cared for "Rose" so well . . . there were tears. This is one of those chickens that we'll bury. (We realized this was not "Victoria", but one of the younger ISA Browns in our flock, about 2 yrs old.)

Thanks to all for the advice and support offered - this forum is a wonderful resource!

Oh - one more thing - I watched several videos on chicken euthanasia and came across this video, which doesn't discuss methods as much as when it's appropriate to euthanize.
It was very helpful for me, and I also had my daughter watch it. We probably should have euthanized "Rose" earlier on, but it is what it is. Video link below for those interested. Except for the cheesy whiskey and ice cream bit, it's really informative and sensitively done.

 

[-Chanticleer-]

I’m sorry she passed but she passed with such caring people and now is at peace.

 

[countrybumpkin5]

An update on our sweet ISA Brown . . . she passed late this morning.

The antibiotics seemed to perk her up for a few days - she was drinking and eating watermelon and mash, but not getting better while not getting worse. Her comb actually went back to normal color, but she did get weaker and weaker over time. She was very interactive with us and her last days were spent by the window where she was brought up as a chick, with us stopping often for pets and gentle words. I'm hoping it was a heart issue and it was a painless process rather than cancer or something like that.
Please no flames for not dispatching her sooner. I know as a chicken owner that time will come, but this was not that time for us.

Our 14 yo daughter took her outside yesterday in the sun, and again this morning (even though it was drizzly) and went out to the coop/run and around the yard, and then the hen passed in her arms . She was so gentle and cared for "Rose" so well . . . there were tears. This is one of those chickens that we'll bury. (We realized this was not "Victoria", but one of the younger ISA Browns in our flock, about 2 yrs old.)

Thanks to all for the advice and support offered - this forum is a wonderful resource!

View attachment 3605208

Oh - one more thing - I watched several videos on chicken euthanasia and came across this video, which doesn't discuss methods as much as when it's appropriate to euthanize.
It was very helpful for me, and I also had my daughter watch it. We probably should have euthanized "Rose" earlier on, but it is what it is. Video link below for those interested. Except for the cheesy whiskey and ice cream bit, it's really informative and sensitively done.

I'm sorry for your loss and heartache as well as your daughter's. Your daughter is clearly a kind soul who is being raised properly and with love and compassion which IMO is extremely important.

As far as euthanizing at the "proper" time, well, I'm not sure as humans we can tell when that is really, in that every being is different, on their own timeline with their own plan, yes, I said plan. Call me crazy but I think that every being has it's own plan and can make choices of it's own as when to leave this life. I also think it's a bit presumptious on our part to think we can decide when a life has lost it's quality enough for us to end it. The flip side of that is that I have a hard time knowing something is suffering. Again, though, how much of what we see is what the being is actually feeling on a physical level and should we interfere thinking we know best. I don't know and may never know, but I think we each have to make whatever choice we truly feel is best at the time with each individual circumstance.

I'm glad you had the time with her that you did, and she clearly felt that love.

 

[Wendy Bee]

I'm sorry for your loss and heartache as well as your daughter's. Your daughter is clearly a kind soul who is being raised properly and with love and compassion which IMO is extremely important.

As far as euthanizing at the "proper" time, well, I'm not sure as humans we can tell when that is really, in that every being is different, on their own timeline with their own plan, yes, I said plan. Call me crazy but I think that every being has it's own plan and can make choices of it's own as when to leave this life. I also think it's a bit presumptious on our part to think we can decide when a life has lost it's quality enough for us to end it. The flip side of that is that I have a hard time knowing something is suffering. Again, though, how much of what we see is what the being is actually feeling on a physical level and should we interfere thinking we know best. I don't know and may never know, but I think we each have to make whatever choice we truly feel is best at the time with each individual circumstance.

I'm glad you had the time with her that you did, and she clearly felt that love.

I agree with so much of what you said, and thank you for your kind words .

The video I posted above was helpful, though, in reminding me that chickens are by nature stoic and hide when they're sick or injured, because they're a prey animal and know that if they show weakness they not only become more vulnerable to predators, but potentially even their own flock members.

It is a struggle to know just what the 'best' thing is .

 

[Clucktown]

I'm sorry for your loss and heartache as well as your daughter's. Your daughter is clearly a kind soul who is being raised properly and with love and compassion which IMO is extremely important.

As far as euthanizing at the "proper" time, well, I'm not sure as humans we can tell when that is really, in that every being is different, on their own timeline with their own plan, yes, I said plan. Call me crazy but I think that every being has it's own plan and can make choices of it's own as when to leave this life. I also think it's a bit presumptious on our part to think we can decide when a life has lost it's quality enough for us to end it. The flip side of that is that I have a hard time knowing something is suffering. Again, though, how much of what we see is what the being is actually feeling on a physical level and should we interfere thinking we know best. I don't know and may never know, but I think we each have to make whatever choice we truly feel is best at the time with each individual circumstance.

I'm glad you had the time with her that you did, and she clearly felt that love.

My daughter has said much of the same when one of our hens became sick. Basically, who are we to decide? Maybe she wants to spend more time with her flockmates? I then realized that it was painful for me to watch the decline and was making the decision based on the desire to relieve my distress.