RIP Ruby......

[Lunachick]

She had sour crop but improved so I let her join the others and she had fun the last two days, eating and hanging around with her friends. She didn't have enough strength to hop onto her roost at night, so she stayed on the floor in a nice warm pile of pine shavings. She must have died during the night.

Now I hope she's with Pearl who died in February. The two of them were my first chickens. Ruby was the best leader and protector of her flock.

now I'm down to four.

Ruby & Pearl were both Red Sex Links and I think they were bred to be great egg layers, which to me means they don't live long. After they "retire" some kind of health issue comes up and - BANG - they die.

I'd like to envision them in a sunny field of grass scratching around and then having a lovely dust bath together where ever they are. It's a dark rainy day here and I'm very sad.

 

[CoopCrazy]

So sorry Luna

 

[Scoop]

Awe, so sorry. Hopefully she didn't suffer much. Just remember you gave her a much better life than she would have ever of had in a factory farm. I am just so sorry for you loss.

 

[3goodeggs]

That's sad. I think your theory on the high production hens is correct. But it is like loving a big dog. We know they won't last as long, but the fun we have while we have them is what we have to look at, not the end. Please try not to stay sad long. It produces the wrong kind of chemicals for you to stay healthy.
So sorry about Ruby.

 

[Lunachick]

3goodeggs - It's not in me to stay sad too long. I just went out to see how the others were doing, it cleared up just a little, well it's not raining at the moment, so they're out tooling around. They're back at doing chicken things, so I'll take my cue from them and go on doing people things.

It's just a shame, those two birds were not even 3 yrs old.

 

[CoopCrazy]

Quote:
Awesome attitude Luna....

 

[HennyJenny]

I'm so sorry, Luna.

 

[ranchhand]

Very sorry, Luna.

 

[Lunachick]

Thank you guys, it's hard when they go - dang it. I have her in my greenhouse til it dries up out there and I'll put her next to Pearl in a little corner of my tomato garden. Good thing I didn't plant things yet.

 

[speckledhen]

I'm so sorry! I've lost one to sour crop and a couple to crop stasis as well. Sometimes, it's just too late to help by the time you really know what's wrong. Our first head hen was also named Ruby. Lost her to internal laying.