Polish Crested dying...right now...update...she just died.

[roz]

We lost her...I'm so sad. She died right after I put our boys to bed. Once again they are going to wake up to the news that one of their pet chickens has died...this is the part that sucks! Out of the 4 chickens that have come inside for illness issues, only 50% have returned to the coop. That is not a rate that is ok with me. It stinks that being a chicken owner has such a big learning curve, and that the first chickens you have are the ones that suffer for it. I should have gone with my gut feeling a few days back and realized something was wrong with her being lethargic and her wattles being pale...maybe I could have saved her then! I know we shouldnt beat ourselves up over this stuff, but it just sucks! I could say she was one of our favorites, which she was...my younger son picked her out, but they are all our favorites, and none of them are expendable. I wish I had thicker skin!

 

[jcf3202]

So sorry you lost her

 

[Gersbud]

Sorry to hear that you lost your girl. Hope everyone else is good.

 

[bawkbawkbawk]

Very sorry for your loss. Of the four in my original flock, two died of unknown causes and the third is only alive because we've spent a fortune at the vet managing egg yolk peritonitis. The fourth is healthy and has had no problems, but I've been very disappointed with my track record. Mine were hatchery birds - I don't know if that makes a difference or not.

 

[Axle Quails]

So Sorry for your loss

 

[roz]

Thanks everyone. All but one of mine are hatchery birds from McMurray's hatchery. It was some blood sucking parasite that got our Polish Crested...I just didnt realize it until it was too late. Her wattles were practically white...I thought I was on top of that stuff. I will have to research whether it is lice or mites, but she had what looked like little red blobs stuck at the bottom of her feathers in her pompom on top of her head. I had dusted them with pyrmethrin a few times and thought I'd gotten everything, but I guess I didnt think to get the pompom and she never took dust baths.

 

[CMTSMWC]

I'm so sorry

I know how you feel. That's the only bad part of having animals, getting attached. But we try everything we can and sometimes it just isn't meant to work out for some reason.

 

[seminolewind]

Only real chicken people would bring a sick chicken into their house knowing that they're covered in lice mites or bugs!!! Gotta love 'em!

 

[MudgesMom]

So sorry bout your girl.

 

[ReikiStar]

You're in good company, we've all be shattered by losing our beloved chickens to one thing or another. With the lack of color in her wattles she was probably anemic from the lice/mites. Its actually pretty common with a heavy lice/mite load. With the crested birds, their crest is one of the first places to check for lice/mites.

I'm so sorry for you and your boys. I know we don't want any of our birds to suffer because of our ignorance, but some believe animals are ok with dying and will willingly give of themselves so we can learn. I always say through my tears, "But I don't want any other (fill in the type of animal), I want them!" Life is one lesson after the other, think of how much more knowledge you have after one of your chickens drags you to school, so you can take better care of any chickens that come later. Thank your sweet Polish for her time with you...depending on what you believe, she may come back to you in a new chicken.

Keep your soft heart, it's what makes you so strong.