MJ's little flock

[MaryJanet]

We can probably do something like that! I do feel a bit bad for just presuming she wasn't laying, but she has had a few issues with thin shells and then not laying for a while before, so yeah...
She is a light sussex, and around two years old.

I don't know much about Light Sussexes (or any other breed, for that matter). Is it normal for them to have egg problems? I've always associated egg problems with ISA browns and Leghorns.

 

[Sussex19]

I don't know much about Light Sussexes (or any other breed, for that matter). Is it normal for them to have egg problems? I've always associated egg problems with ISA browns and Leghorns.

I don't think so, none of my others have had any problems.
I think any hen of any breed can, but the production breeds are more likely to.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

I did the best I could, but there's a learning opportunity in every mishap so I'm still mulling it over and wondering what the learning will be.

I'm sorry Lorna just couldn't make it. Your efforts to help her, and then to help her not suffer longer, were compassionate and thoughtful. I've been following along...What everyone has said sounds so very true and right. You did as much as anyone could do and it may not even have been a problem that could be solved by you or anyone else, even if she had been a patient in an avian vet's hospital and was tended to 'round the clock in some way.

Her problem of losing weight, failing to thrive could be from so many causes. Reading ahead to see if Dr. Mark thinks a PM will shed light on it. But I just wanted to add that human health problems like this that result in weight loss and weakness (these were the visible symptoms for poor Lorna, as someone here, @Perris ? pointed out) have many, many causes. These are often very difficult to pinpoint, from brain function to organ function. It takes a lot of doing to get to the bottom of a particular individual's situation, and sometimes it is never diagnosed.

I think what we can hope to learn in chickening is to learn the skills to try to take care of the more common and recognizable problems. Like the skill of crop feeding. And how lunch boxes work great for weighing! Within those parameters we are limited to the do-able solutions at hand, from our efforts to a vet's. But we also have known problems that we can't do much about and neither can a vet. For the mystery problems we can try the solutions on the symptoms we see, but it is impossible to always know what the actual problem is.

I'm sorry. Maybe I'm just saying the same thing three different ways. You (and Dr. Mark) did what you could and that's as much as anyone, human or hen, could ask for. Unless the PM shows something definite I don't know that there can be much to learn.

 

[MaryJanet]

I'm sorry Lorna just couldn't make it. Your efforts to help her, and then to help her not suffer longer, were compassionate and thoughtful. I've been following along...What everyone has said sounds so very true and right. You did as much as anyone could do and it may not even have been a problem that could be solved by you or anyone else, even if she had been a patient in an avian vet's hospital and was tended to 'round the clock in some way.

Her problem of losing weight, failing to thrive could be from so many causes. Reading ahead to see if Dr. Mark thinks a PM will shed light on it. But I just wanted to add that human health problems like this that result in weight loss and weakness (these were the visible symptoms for poor Lorna, as someone here, @Perris ? pointed out) have many, many causes. These are often very difficult to pinpoint, from brain function to organ function. It takes a lot of doing to get to the bottom of a particular individual's situation, and sometimes it is never diagnosed.

I think what we can hope to learn in chickening is to learn the skills to try to take care of the more common and recognizable problems. Like the skill of crop feeding. And how lunch boxes work great for weighing! Within those parameters we are limited to the do-able solutions at hand, from our efforts to a vet's. But we also have known problems that we can't do much about and neither can a vet. For the mystery problems we can try the solutions on the symptoms we see, but it is impossible to always know what the actual problem is.

I'm sorry. Maybe I'm just saying the same thing three different ways. You (and Dr. Mark) did what you could and that's as much as anyone, human or hen, could ask for. Unless the PM shows something definite I don't know that there can be much to learn.

Thank you so much for taking the time to write such a thoughtful post. It's perfect timing because I'm over the shock of it all and you've helped me recall her and have a few peaceful tears for her.

In the end, I decided against a PM. Instead I buried her with some bread for her journey and with a few flowers at her feet. Then I planted an agapanthus above her so I'd not lose her grave.

She was a brave and stoic pullet.

Spoiler: Lorna's burial

 

[Shadrach]

I had to grab Fret this afternoon and it was a grab. Once I had got her she settled down in my palm quite quickly. Rather than place my left hand over her back and wings I tilted her slightly and held her close to my chest. I did get most of an inspection done but I couldn't keep her still enough to get a good look between the feathers on her feet. A headtorch and night time job I think.

Lima, she knows something many humans never learn; you have to burn to shine. She knows what freedom is it often seems to me. Open the allotment run gate and she off running and ankle deep in someones unharvested veg. She's easy to get back to the run although frequent diversions for just one more bug make it a slow process. I often wonder if she would survive free ranging.

I picked Henry up this afternoon as well. He did shy away when I put my hands down but he didn't run. He's old enough to be handled without the risk one takes when handling cockerels a lot I think. His skin is clean and his feather shafts have a good sheen to them. He does have an old wound just above his left wing that I've not noticed before.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Thank you so much for taking the time to write such a thoughtful post. It's perfect timing because I'm over the shock of it all and you've helped me recall her and have a few peaceful tears for her.

In the end, I decided against a PM. Instead I buried her with some bread for her journey and with a few flowers at her feet. Then I planted an agapanthus above her so I'd not lose her grave.

She was a brave and stoic pullet.
[/SPOILER]

A beautiful plant reminiscent of her colors!

 

[MaryJanet]

These two have worked out sitting is less stressful than standing in a strong wind.

 

[Grammy60]

Good evening MJ and everyone

 

[rjohns39]

Good evening folks

 

[MaryJanet]

I had to grab Fret this afternoon and it was a grab. Once I had got her she settled down in my palm quite quickly. Rather than place my left hand over her back and wings I tilted her slightly and held her close to my chest. I did get most of an inspection done but I couldn't keep her still enough to get a good look between the feathers on her feet. A headtorch and night time job I think.

Lima, she knows something many humans never learn; you have to burn to shine. She knows what freedom is it often seems to me. Open the allotment run gate and she off running and ankle deep in someones unharvested veg. She's easy to get back to the run although frequent diversions for just one more bug make it a slow process. I often wonder if she would survive free ranging.

I picked Henry up this afternoon as well. He did shy away when I put my hands down but he didn't run. He's old enough to be handled without the risk one takes when handling cockerels a lot I think. His skin is clean and his feather shafts have a good sheen to them. He does have an old wound just above his left wing that I've not noticed before.

Above his left wing. From someone else's spur do you think? Or from a predator?

I never learned to burn and shine. I learned to be quiet and not rock the boat.

It took quite some unlearning too!