MJ's little flock

[Shadrach]

I’m sure an old chicken needs more time to recover than a young chicken. But not many chicken owners have chickens old enough to compare them with people of older/old age. Many people think a 5 yo hen is old. But knowing they exceptional can get 20 years old (like 105 in human age) and they can lay eggs until 10 yo (fertility of woman stops at 40 - 55) put a 5 yo hen in another perspective.

Following such a scale, the 5 yo chickens are still quite young and my 10 yo chickens are about middle aged.

Looking at their early development you get another picture. Mature at about 6 months old is normal for a hen. Humans are still children at 2.5-3 years old. Or should we count the embryo phase too?

No sense scale:
-
1=5.2
5=26
10= 52
20 = 104

It is very difficult to scale due to the accelerated growth and learning curve in the first year. One past that I think it's around 7 chicken years t 1 of ours.
I haven't read any recent statistics on the subject, but not that long a go 10 years old was a good age for dual purpose breeds (heavier birds) and 12 years old for bantam breeds.

 

[BY Bob]

That would mean I have 3 100+ yo hens, measured in human lives.

Inbreeding sure is not beneficial for longevity.

Today I saw Pearl (black Dutch) jump-fly on the coop and run. Humans definitely cant when they reach . And both 10 yo black Dutch laid eggs last year.

That's amazing. Eggs at 10. Wow!

Split the difference, what does 7.5 look like.......

Revised No sense scale:
-
1=7.5
5=37.5
10= 75
20 = 150

 

[BY Bob]

I'm going back to my earlier comment that I don't think there's a reliable correlation between people and chickens.

I think you are correct.

 

[MaryJanet]

Mary has her follow up appointment tomorrow morning. She's still coughing but nowhere near as much as she was. I suspect there's something going on internally as well. Her poops are too small.

As the whole flock had the course of lincospectin in the water, they're now all on probiotics and I'm almost out, so I'll stock up while I'm at the vet.

 

[MaryJanet]

Mary stayed at the vet today and had some images taken. Her gut is blocked by gas, so she's on a different antibiotic for a week (noroclav) and it's a daily injection, which is not something I can do. So we're going to have early morning trips to the vet for a few days.

If the noroclav doesn't help her, she will be at the end of her road. So in the meantime, the vet (who is usually very strict about diet) says she can eat as many treats as she likes. She may as well live large if it is indeed her last week.

So I'm going to go wild on the salmon and corn!

Just wanted you all to know in advance so it's not a shock if she has to be put to sleep.

I hope it goes without saying that she will be handled very gently and with a lot of respect by everyone involved.

 

[RoyalChick]

Mary stayed at the vet today and had some images taken. Her gut is blocked by gas, so she's on a different antibiotic for a week (noroclav) and it's a daily injection, which is not something I can do. So we're going to have early morning trips to the vet for a few days.

If the noroclav doesn't help her, she will be at the end of her road. So in the meantime, the vet (who is usually very strict about diet) says she can eat as many treats as she likes. She may as well live large if it is indeed her last week.

So I'm going to go wild on the salmon and corn!

Just wanted you all to know in advance so it's not a shock if she has to be put to sleep.

I hope it goes without saying that she will be handled very gently and with a lot of respect by everyone involved.

Oh Mary! Poor old girl.
I hope she pulls through.

 

[MaryJanet]

Oh Mary! Poor old girl.
I hope she pulls through.

There's a chance - she may well make it through!