Well I have some great news and some not so great news today. With a little help and a lot of extra attention Penny seems to have recovered, is gaining weight, has stopped picking at herself and is energetic and more outgoing. She still seems to get tired after playing for a while and later in the evening like me but so far so good. Her balance has gotten better. It's not perfect but we're so glad she's coming around. We're keeping our fingers crossed that she makes a full recovery and lives a full life.
Sadly I can't say the same for Lavender the cross bill and today is a very sad day for me because I had to put her down at around 1 month old. We had been able to feed her with wet food but it took everything she and we had just to get minimal food and water into her and she remained bright, energetic and very affectionate the whole time. However a few days ago she started showing sign of sliding backwards and I watched her try to eat for 30 mins this morning with little to no success. She had always been a voracious eater, giving it her all, but I cold see that her spirit was waning. It was hard to watch knowing how frustrating and stressful that must be. I decided it wasn't fair to her to keep this up.
I researched all the methods of culling and considered a few if needed, but finally decided that I had to face this head on and do what was best for Lavender. I did not want her to continue to struggle and end up suffering. After watching her this morning I realized that we had crossed point of who was benefiting the most from her life and when it was obvious it wasn't her I had to take action.
I brought her friends out for one last play session on the top of the brooder and she sat and watched, and hopped in to play a couple times, charging across the lid coming face to face with the other birds with her chest pumped out. This is a game or ritual they do apparently, presumably to find their pecking order.
When they all settled down I took Lavender outside for her first and last look at the great big world outside the brooder and the laundry room. She made chirping sounds I had never heard before. Not scared but maybe a little trepidation in her timbre. She looked around stretching her neck out to see what's out there. She cocked her head sideways to look at me several times and ran up my arm to sit on my shoulder. She sang in my ear for a moment and pecked gently at my ear lobe as if to say thank you or I love you and crushed my heart. I cold not help but cry at this point knowing why we were out here. She had worked her way into my heart and I now had to take her life, perhaps the hardest thing I have ever had to do. I know she was just a chicken, but it feels like I've lost so much more.
Rest well under the big oak my sweet little friend.
