Poor bantam is all twisted up

[RodNTN]

One of my oldest hens experienced this

 

[izzy434]

What happened to her?

 

[RodNTN]

Unfortunately, she passed But it wasn't from the wry neck (she was 8 years old), plus I knew that she didn't have long to live before she was diagnosed with wry neck.

 

[RodNTN]

But I believe that there is hope for your hen!

 

[izzy434]

I guess it's one of those things about having chickens. They're so vulnerable it seems. It isn't what I would have chosen but It seems like I'm just getting used to loosing them.

 

[RodNTN]

Same here Its okay, I know how you feel Its just something about chickens, you have to learn to let go

 

[Wickedchicken6]

Nothing quite like this ever happened to her before. I remember a couple times maybe earlier this year when she kind of seemed like she's sort of flopped around, but then came back to normal pretty quickly. They eat like Queens I don't understand how they could be deficient in just about anything. It feels more like a neurological thing to me. She is part silky and she does have that kind of poofy hair tuft on top of her head. So maybe it is something that is hereditary. All I can do is feed her the right stuff and pray for her and the rest is up to...... life and death I guess.

May I ask what you feed them?

 

[Sara Ranch]

I hope your beautiful girl makes it!

 

[izzy434]

I feed them a regular layer pellets along with scratch and oyster shells and Grit and lots of leftovers and I cook rice for them and warm oatmeal in the winter.

 

[izzy434]

I don't think she's going to make it. So what am I supposed to do? Love her knowing that she's going to die?
She doesn't seem unhappy. She definitely doesn't appear to be suffering Maybe it's that it bothers me just to see her this way. She reminds me of my father with Alzheimer's. He didn't know there was something wrong after a while. And then he just started enjoying all the extra attention and care. Maybe I should just keep loving her and let her go when she goes and let my heart break again. Every single time this happens I tell myself it's just a chicken, but then my heart breaks all over again. I can't bring myself to killing her. So all I can do is keep loving her and caring. It's not something you ever get used to. She has good eye contact and she seems to receive so I guess I keep giving.