My sweet runty pullet, Anisette, just went back to heaven 10 minutes ago. She was almost 1 year old (1 week shy)and never laid eggs. I had to nurse her through some time of respiratory thing five months ago and she just thrived afterwards. Because she was so small it didn't take long before she became the lowest ranking pullet/hen. Just the past two days she showed signs of laying her first egg, beet red face/waddles, squatting and her actually nesting. This afternoon I found her wedged between the red scallop edging of our fruit tree and a temporary run for our EEs. She was panting, slightly puffed and her vent was just pulsating. I brought her in immediately, let her settle down/cool down then gave her first warm bath...she enjoyed it, even dozing off while being supported in the basin. I dried her off with a soft towel and let her waddle around alittle. Put her in a large dog kennel with soft towels and shredded paper under a heat lamp (with thermostat)...she was relaxing and then 4 hours later, I heard a squeek, ran into the bathroom and held her as her eyes closed and her wings twitched.
I thought she may be egg bound and could find no vet available.....ER has no experience with chickens, but did find out in RPV and made an appointment for tomorrow 8am.
If you are in California who do I contact for an autopsy? She was always runty, but fiesty with the EEs...never laid, what did I do or not do? I now have only 4 pullets/hens left, she is hopping around chatting away in paradise now.....
This is my second Barred Rock, both passed in late April, last year and today.
I thought she may be egg bound and could find no vet available.....ER has no experience with chickens, but did find out in RPV and made an appointment for tomorrow 8am.
If you are in California who do I contact for an autopsy? She was always runty, but fiesty with the EEs...never laid, what did I do or not do? I now have only 4 pullets/hens left, she is hopping around chatting away in paradise now.....
This is my second Barred Rock, both passed in late April, last year and today.