Hi everyone. A couple of weeks ago we lost my favorite girl we have owned yet. The exact reason is still a mystery, but I am slowly putting things together and figuring it out. Willow was a super sweet, very laid back, Black Copper Maran. She was hatched from some eggs we got from Amy. She was happiest being held, talked to and riding on a shoulder. I truly think it was this sweet, meek, temperament, and my delay in noticing how far things had gone that led to her demise.
Lou Ann and I always suspected that Willow was being bullied by the others. One clue was that she always preferred the nestbox to the roost. When Lou Ann would block the nest boxes, she would go to a back corner, under the roosts to sleep (and Lou Ann was the trooper who would climb under there to retrieve her). We would often see the three top hens push or peck her away from the food, but, we also knew there was food inside the coop, too. Willow was also smaller than the other two Marans. All little clues that she wasn't getting the food.
I was spending some time in the run with them when Lou Ann was in Disney and giving them treats and everyone seemed fine. Willow was eating some scratch. I noticed once that she laid down and ate, but it was sunny and warm and as soon as I petted her she was up and eating with the others. The next few evenings I was going after work to feed and water them and make sure they were okay. On Thursday, I noticed Willow eating, but her tail was down. She would then lay down and pick at the scratch. I went over to her and put her beside the water and she drank for the longest. This is when it was slowly starting to click for me. It started getting dark and the others went inside. Willow then started eating. I watched her go in the coop and she went straight to the nest box. I put her on the roost and called Lou Ann and decided the next morning to seperate her from the others and allow her all the food and drink she wanted. She seemed pretty well the next morning, but as I think back on it, I didn't consider the colder temperatures we were having. Later that day, when I checked again, she was lying on her side in the sun, but on the cold ground (she had moved away the pine shavings) and barely hanging on. She passed a short time later. I really think the lack of nutrition she was getting and the cold temperatures were too much. I am still kicking myself for not putting it together sooner and having her somewhere warm. The challenge that day would have been Lou Ann and I both having construction done on our houses, but I would have found somewhere.
In my Facebook post that day, I stated that the world of chickens is very much like the world of humans-bullies exist in both and it is often the sweetest and most meek that do not survive.
We will get another chicken, maybe two, this spring, but they will be at point of lay. No babies this year. For once, I am not even tempted! I just want to enjoy my big girls this season.
Willow using Lou Ann's shoulder to get a better view out the door.
Lou Ann and I always suspected that Willow was being bullied by the others. One clue was that she always preferred the nestbox to the roost. When Lou Ann would block the nest boxes, she would go to a back corner, under the roosts to sleep (and Lou Ann was the trooper who would climb under there to retrieve her). We would often see the three top hens push or peck her away from the food, but, we also knew there was food inside the coop, too. Willow was also smaller than the other two Marans. All little clues that she wasn't getting the food.
I was spending some time in the run with them when Lou Ann was in Disney and giving them treats and everyone seemed fine. Willow was eating some scratch. I noticed once that she laid down and ate, but it was sunny and warm and as soon as I petted her she was up and eating with the others. The next few evenings I was going after work to feed and water them and make sure they were okay. On Thursday, I noticed Willow eating, but her tail was down. She would then lay down and pick at the scratch. I went over to her and put her beside the water and she drank for the longest. This is when it was slowly starting to click for me. It started getting dark and the others went inside. Willow then started eating. I watched her go in the coop and she went straight to the nest box. I put her on the roost and called Lou Ann and decided the next morning to seperate her from the others and allow her all the food and drink she wanted. She seemed pretty well the next morning, but as I think back on it, I didn't consider the colder temperatures we were having. Later that day, when I checked again, she was lying on her side in the sun, but on the cold ground (she had moved away the pine shavings) and barely hanging on. She passed a short time later. I really think the lack of nutrition she was getting and the cold temperatures were too much. I am still kicking myself for not putting it together sooner and having her somewhere warm. The challenge that day would have been Lou Ann and I both having construction done on our houses, but I would have found somewhere.
In my Facebook post that day, I stated that the world of chickens is very much like the world of humans-bullies exist in both and it is often the sweetest and most meek that do not survive.
We will get another chicken, maybe two, this spring, but they will be at point of lay. No babies this year. For once, I am not even tempted! I just want to enjoy my big girls this season.
Willow using Lou Ann's shoulder to get a better view out the door.
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