This isn't a post looking for advice on a cure, but more sharing my thoughts (and grief) upon reaching that point where you know there is nothing more you can realistically do. I put it here because so many who have searched for, or offered, help and cures on this forum, eventually reach this point.
My beloved, Morrigan, has -- at the age of 12 -- reached that point where there is no more that I can do for her other than keep her comfortable, and if that looks to be impossible, help her onto her next journey. She is the last survivor of my first flock of chickens. She laid until she was 10, and until last year, kept her position as top hen. She was always friendly, talkative and inquisitive. She's the only chicken that was comfortable with me picking her up and hand-feeding her. She would always greet me in the morning and follow me around.
I've know this day was coming for a while. Last year, my other old sussex, Ms. Broody, who was around 8 years old, passed on. The two of them had been inseparable, hanging out, grooming each other, and reinforcing Morrigan's place as top hen. Ms Broody's passing started a long, slow process of decline for Morrigan. She lost her status, and would spend more and more time by herself. She started losing her eyesight and limped a bit. But, she was still eating, preening and talkative. A few days ago, I noticed she was very slow to leave the coop in the morning and started sleeping in a nest box. Closer inspection showed she had a hard/doughy drop and smelly diarrhea. I cleaned her up, gave her soft-cooked eggs, nutridrench, coconut oil and crop massages. But every day she lost a little more zip and today, I could see it in her eyes that she was done. She's refusing even her favorite treats, not drinking, and is sitting quietly in the coop, napping most of the time. Perhaps if she was younger, antibiotics, tube-feeding, etc., might be options, but at 12, I just think her time has come. As they say, Father Time is undefeated.
It hurts, and I hate feeling so helpless. If she doesn't pass on her own tonight, we will put her down tomorrow. She is my one and only true pet chicken. As much as feel blessed that she had such a long and healthy life, I'm heartbroken.
My beloved, Morrigan, has -- at the age of 12 -- reached that point where there is no more that I can do for her other than keep her comfortable, and if that looks to be impossible, help her onto her next journey. She is the last survivor of my first flock of chickens. She laid until she was 10, and until last year, kept her position as top hen. She was always friendly, talkative and inquisitive. She's the only chicken that was comfortable with me picking her up and hand-feeding her. She would always greet me in the morning and follow me around.
I've know this day was coming for a while. Last year, my other old sussex, Ms. Broody, who was around 8 years old, passed on. The two of them had been inseparable, hanging out, grooming each other, and reinforcing Morrigan's place as top hen. Ms Broody's passing started a long, slow process of decline for Morrigan. She lost her status, and would spend more and more time by herself. She started losing her eyesight and limped a bit. But, she was still eating, preening and talkative. A few days ago, I noticed she was very slow to leave the coop in the morning and started sleeping in a nest box. Closer inspection showed she had a hard/doughy drop and smelly diarrhea. I cleaned her up, gave her soft-cooked eggs, nutridrench, coconut oil and crop massages. But every day she lost a little more zip and today, I could see it in her eyes that she was done. She's refusing even her favorite treats, not drinking, and is sitting quietly in the coop, napping most of the time. Perhaps if she was younger, antibiotics, tube-feeding, etc., might be options, but at 12, I just think her time has come. As they say, Father Time is undefeated.
It hurts, and I hate feeling so helpless. If she doesn't pass on her own tonight, we will put her down tomorrow. She is my one and only true pet chicken. As much as feel blessed that she had such a long and healthy life, I'm heartbroken.
