Ribh's D'Coopage

[Shadrach]

Goodnight Ribh.
Relax, sleep and concentrate on the living.

 

[Kris5902]

Thanks for the support everyone. I've lost her overnight. I was worried when I couldn't tempt her with salmon, which she loved, but the heat seems to have been the last straw for her.

So sorry for your loss. You did everything you could for her, and sometimes there is just no other possible outcome. She will be missed by all of us as well, a beautiful little girl. I too was hoping against hope that this wouldn’t be the news when I logged in today. Many Virtual Hugs, and know you and Tuppence are both in our prayers

 

[rjohns39]

Good evening folks

 

[Grammy60]

Good evening everyone

So sorry about Tuppence

 

[Aussie-Chookmum]

Oh Ribh, what horrible news. This heat has been really shocking. We got a cool change this morning, I hope you have one up there too.

I haven't been on line since Thursday and didn't know about Tuppence. So sorry I wasn't here to help support you but so glad we have this caring community at times like these. You really did everything you could. All the hugs

 

[WhoDatChick]

Hi there! Hope all is well with you

 

[Ribh]

Celebrating Tuppence.

Firstly I am not ok but I am going to try & not dump on all you lovely people. I do want to celebrate my lovely little hen.

There is a particular mindset that comes from living in an isolated, difficult to access community. You don't have the sort of things mainlanders take for granted: doctors, dentists, vets, hospitals ~ so you learn quickly to trust your gut instincts & weigh up the pros & cons of your choices. You also tend to get the poorest, most expensive people when you do get services so you quickly loose confidence in the so called experts. Nothing like being in transition in labour & having to tell the ambos what to do! So yeah, a fair bit of cynicism has accumulated over the years.

So when Tuppence didn't vacate the roost with the rest of the flock I knew we were in trouble. We had temperatures skyrocketing towards the 30Cs with 75% humidity, no vet & a car without a/c. My gut said she wasn't going to make it, no matter what I did, so why put her through extra stress heading to the mainland ~ which is a 2 hour trip. Although the boat itself is only a 20 minute ride, we have to walk to where our mainland car is parked in the heat before a 20~40 minute drive to the vet that does farm animals but isn't an avian specialist ~ & for me doing that to an already really sick, heat stressed bird wasn't a good option.

What I opted to do was make her as comfortable as I could, treat her as best I could & hope for the best.

Tuppence loved coming in the Big Coop. Chooks are even bigger sticky beaks than cats so even though she wasn't well she was delighted to be propped on a little stand my dad made with a towel under her for comfort, a nice cold ice bottle nearby to cool the breeze through the window for her. The cats came & went, undisturbed by her presence. My lads, who are here renovating again, piqued her interest & she loved watching t.v with them ! Every time I moved, her eyes flew open & followed my every movement. Every 15 minutes or so I offered her some sugared water, scrambled egg,
yogurt.

There is a lot to be said for allowing a life to end peacefully & naturally. There was no pain, just a gradual fading away. She was showered with love. And that is the hard part. My little girl, who arrived as a screamer, flying into the wire to get as far from me as possible, yet came to trust me & would seek my company when I was out with the girls. Not a lap chicken. She'd stand on a log beside me & cock her head quizzically, safe in the knowledge I wouldn't peck or harass her.

When I closed down the house for the night I popped her in the bathroom as the safest, coolest place. About half past 2 I woke up. My 1st thought was Tuppence was gone. I waited a bit, not wanting to disturb the whole house, but eventually got up. My cats were visibly distraught , anxiously trying to get in the bathroom door. She was still warm but no longer with us.

It has been hard spending time with the rest of the flock. I keep looking for Tuppence & Lottie is missing her. The Favorelles took Lottie between them on the roost the first night. Last night it was Lavender but the flock is very quiet & subdued. I am dosing everyone with amprolium after not only the heat and humidity but a massive storm that has drenched the ground everyone wallows in.

It is much, much cooler today. Sadly the change came too late for Tuppence but everyone else seems to be ok.​

 

[MaryJanet]

 

[LozzyR]

Celebrating Tuppence.
View attachment 2000190
Firstly I am not ok but I am going to try & not dump on all you lovely people. I do want to celebrate my lovely little hen.

There is a particular mindset that comes from living in an isolated, difficult to access community. You don't have the sort of things mainlanders take for granted: doctors, dentists, vets, hospitals ~ so you learn quickly to trust your gut instincts & weigh up the pros & cons of your choices. You also tend to get the poorest, most expensive people when you do get services so you quickly loose confidence in the so called experts. Nothing like being in transition in labour & having to tell the ambos what to do! So yeah, a fair bit of cynicism has accumulated over the years.

So when Tuppence didn't vacate the roost with the rest of the flock I knew we were in trouble. We had temperatures skyrocketing towards the 30Cs with 75% humidity, no vet & a car without a/c. My gut said she wasn't going to make it, no matter what I did, so why put her through extra stress heading to the mainland ~ which is a 2 hour trip. Although the boat itself is only a 20 minute ride, we have to walk to where our mainland car is parked in the heat before a 20~40 minute drive to the vet that does farm animals but isn't an avian specialist ~ & for me doing that to an already really sick, heat stressed bird wasn't a good option.

What I opted to do was make her as comfortable as I could, treat her as best I could & hope for the best.

Tuppence loved coming in the Big Coop. Chooks are even bigger sticky beaks than cats so even though she wasn't well she was delighted to be propped on a little stand my dad made with a towel under her for comfort, a nice cold ice bottle nearby to cool the breeze through the window for her. The cats came & went, undisturbed by her presence. My lads, who are here renovating again, piqued her interest & she loved watching t.v with them ! Every time I moved, her eyes flew open & followed my every movement. Every 15 minutes or so I offered her some sugared water, scrambled egg,
yogurt.

There is a lot to be said for allowing a life to end peacefully & naturally. There was no pain, just a gradual fading away. She was showered with love. And that is the hard part. My little girl, who arrived as a screamer, flying into the wire to get as far from me as possible, yet came to trust me & would seek my company when I was out with the girls. Not a lap chicken. She'd stand on a log beside me & cock her head quizzically, safe in the knowledge I wouldn't peck or harass her.

When I closed down the house for the night I popped her in the bathroom as the safest, coolest place. About half past 2 I woke up. My 1st thought was Tuppence was gone. I waited a bit, not wanting to disturb the whole house, but eventually got up. My cats were visibly distraught , anxiously trying to get in the bathroom door. She was still warm but no longer with us.

It has been hard spending time with the rest of the flock. I keep looking for Tuppence & Lottie is missing her. The Favorelles took Lottie between them on the roost the first night. Last night it was Lavender but the flock is very quiet & subdued. I am dosing everyone with amprolium after not only the heat and humidity but a massive storm that has drenched the ground everyone wallows in.

It is much, much cooler today. Sadly the change came too late for Tuppence but everyone else seems to be ok.​

Oh Ribh, that’s beautiful. It sounds like she had a wonderful last day and that your decision to not take her to the mainland vet was very measured and carefully thought out. She sounds like she had a fantastic life with you. Thank you for sharing your pain with us. It’s absolutely ok to be not ok, for as long as you need to be and not when someone thinks it’s about time you should be. Take care, wishing I could give you a real hug instead of a virtual one.

 

[Ribh]

Oh Ribh, that’s beautiful. It sounds like she had a wonderful last day and that your decision to not take her to the mainland vet was very measured and carefully thought out. She sounds like she had a fantastic life with you. Thank you for sharing your pain with us. It’s absolutely ok to be not ok, for as long as you need to be and not when someone thinks it’s about time you should be. Take care, wishing I could give you a real hug instead of a virtual one.

Thank you, @LozzyR.