Our Beloved Suede Is Gone: January 2007-September 2012

[ddavison]

I AM SOOOOOO SORRY about Suede. It is nice to share a bond with others that are passionate about their feathered friends. I have a chicken who has almost recovered from bocholisim but is still blind so the other chickens beat her up. She is very reliant on me and now lives in my house. Everyone makes fun of me and says to kill her....she is just a chicken, but I just can't. I am praying she gets her sight back someday, but until then she is a house chicken. I understand the attachment to them. Hope you all get through this tough time.

 

[speckledhen]

Thank you and welcome to BYC. I understand why you have a chicken in your house, I really do. I have a sight-impaired hen who has depth perception issues and stemming from that, in addition to her Sumatra heritage, is somewhat aggressive in her attention-seeking. She is a pain, but my DH is very attached to her.

You become very attached to the ones who need the most attention sometimes, as with my late crippled rooster, Zane, who we cared for most of his life. He was crippled due to an accident when he was about 18 weeks of age. He wanted to live and told us in no uncertain terms so we let him be our guide. He lived to be 4 1/2 years of age and literally crowed his way out of this world, suddenly, unexpectedly, and much too soon. He'll always be the love of my life.

Suede never needed special care except at the very end. He was just Suede, loved and respected us and was loved and respected in return by us and so many others.

 

[sumi]

How is Meg doing, Cyn? And how are you guys?

 

[speckledhen]

It's difficult to gauge, really. She doesn't seem to be losing much weight, really. Dusty has not laid an egg since Suede died and by now, she would have given me two or three, at least.

It's very quiet here without him. Even his weak crow was his voice contribution to the rooster brigade. Gideon's new mom is coming to get him tomorrow so it will become even more quiet.

 

[speckledhen]

For those interested, I took pictures of Suede's hens for you today. Meg has grown in her new feathers and Hope, who seemed to be dying from a reproductive infection a few weeks ago, has no more bloated abdomen (no idea why-we didn't re-dose with penicillin), and she is growing in new feathers.

Dusty is, well, Dusty-beautiful, big and blue with her French beret comb she gave herself by catching it on the fence about a year ago. However, she still has not laid an egg since Suede died. Nugget seems fine, though she hasn't laid an egg since she was broody about three months ago. We're watching her. All except Hope are well over 4 years old, with Meg going on 6 years old now. Meg was laying prior to her molt.

 

[aoxa]

For those interested, I took pictures of Suede's hens for you today. Meg has grown in her new feathers and Hope, who seemed to be dying from a reproductive infection a few weeks ago, has no more bloated abdomen (no idea why-we didn't re-dose with penicillin), and she is growing in new feathers.

Dusty is, well, Dusty-beautiful, big and blue with her French beret comb she gave herself by catching it on the fence about a year ago. However, she still has not laid an egg since Suede died. Nugget seems fine, though she hasn't laid an egg since she was broody about three months ago. We're watching her. All except Hope are well over 4 years old, with Meg going on 6 years old now. Meg was laying prior to her molt.

Your girls are beautiful Cynthia. I just love Meg. She is so plump.

 

[sumi]

They are beautiful! I'm glad to hear Hope is better.

 

[speckledhen]

Well, Hope seems better from the outside. I've been through this enough to realize that it may be deceptive. Riley seemed better, too, then we found her dead suddenly one morning. Still, I'll be cautiously optimistic for her and pray that she begins laying when she gets her feathers back. I won't be fully satisfied that she is really recovered until she pops out an egg.


Yes, Meg is very plump. She is heavier than she appears, probably when in her full weight she's 10-11 lbs, maybe more. She's a hefty woman! Her Buff Orp side of the family was exhibition stock and if you've seen those, they're HUGE. Now, when Hope has her full weight again, if she ever does, she is probably the largest looking Orp hen I've ever seen, very tall as well as heavy.

 

[aoxa]

Well, Hope seems better from the outside. I've been through this enough to realize that it may be deceptive. Riley seemed better, too, then we found her dead suddenly one morning. Still, I'll be cautiously optimistic for her and pray that she begins laying when she gets her feathers back. I won't be fully satisfied that she is really recovered until she pops out an egg.


Yes, Meg is very plump. She is heavier than she appears, probably when in her full weight she's 10-11 lbs, maybe more. She's a hefty woman! Her Buff Orp side of the family was exhibition stock and if you've seen those, they're HUGE. Now, when Hope has her full weight again, if she ever does, she is probably the largest looking Orp hen I've ever seen, very tall as well as heavy.

I swear I have a 20 pound cochin (exaggerating, but she is definitely over 10 pounds). She is heavier than my 12 pound cat at least. She is short and stout. She lays really well for her size, and is molting terribly and STILL laying every once and a while.

I'm praying for her as well. I have a suspected hen with internal laying. She is very young too Poor Honey. Her stomach doesn't feel odd, but she has visited her nesting area with nothing to show for it. I don't think she's laid for a few months at least.

 

[sumi]

Well, Hope seems better from the outside. I've been through this enough to realize that it may be deceptive. Riley seemed better, too, then we found her dead suddenly one morning. Still, I'll be cautiously optimistic for her and pray that she begins laying when she gets her feathers back. I won't be fully satisfied that she is really recovered until she pops out an egg.