Was going to post this in Incubating and Hatching, but it's not really about that, lol....
Went out this afternoon to grab the 3 eggs that are in the Polish / Bantam pen to put in the incubator. Our biggest Polish mix hen, and best layer, was lying on the ground in obvious discomfort. Her breathing was shallow and her eyes were closed. I picked her up and she quietly protested but let me hold her. Nothing obviously wrong but she didn't look good.
I came in the house and told my wife, she said, "go get her and bring her in". We figured we'd make her as comfortable as possible and see if we could maybe get her to eat some scrambled eggs. When I went out to get her she was already gone. I don't know how long she lay there before I found her. I keep wondering if it was something I did or could have avoided. I feel bad. She was the first one to eat out of my hands and would come running for treats. We've lost chickens before, and know this won't be the last one, but each one is tough to go through.
On the way back to the house I made sure to check the rest of the chickens and the guineas. I walked by the Brahmas' pen, and the new hen laid her first egg! We've only had them a few weeks, and we were told they weren't laying yet. This is her first egg ever.
So, into the incubator with the rest of them, and we'll see what happens in 21 days I guess.....
The circle of life, indeed.
Went out this afternoon to grab the 3 eggs that are in the Polish / Bantam pen to put in the incubator. Our biggest Polish mix hen, and best layer, was lying on the ground in obvious discomfort. Her breathing was shallow and her eyes were closed. I picked her up and she quietly protested but let me hold her. Nothing obviously wrong but she didn't look good.
I came in the house and told my wife, she said, "go get her and bring her in". We figured we'd make her as comfortable as possible and see if we could maybe get her to eat some scrambled eggs. When I went out to get her she was already gone. I don't know how long she lay there before I found her. I keep wondering if it was something I did or could have avoided. I feel bad. She was the first one to eat out of my hands and would come running for treats. We've lost chickens before, and know this won't be the last one, but each one is tough to go through.
On the way back to the house I made sure to check the rest of the chickens and the guineas. I walked by the Brahmas' pen, and the new hen laid her first egg! We've only had them a few weeks, and we were told they weren't laying yet. This is her first egg ever.
So, into the incubator with the rest of them, and we'll see what happens in 21 days I guess.....
The circle of life, indeed.
