very sick chicken

[Eggcessive]

I'm so sorry for your loss. If you get a diagnosis from her necropsy, please let us know what they found. I really enjoyed reading about her choosing to become a house chicken all by herself. I'm sure that you will miss her very much. Take care.

 

[rebrascora]

I understand now why she was so special!

That really is a lovely story of how she chose to live with you! She sounds 1 in a million and I'm sure the whole family must be devastated! The only consolation you can take from it is that she didn't suffer long, unlike many chickens.
I have heard of people making a plaster cast of their dead chickens footprint and decorating it with some of their feathers. That would be a lasting momento that you could perhaps hang on a wall to remember her, particularly if you send her off for a necropsy and don't get her back for a burial site in the garden. It might be something that your daughter could do to help come to terms with the loss.

I too would be interested to hear a necropsy result if you get one, so that I can improve my knowledge. I very much doubt putting her outside would have contributed to her death. Unfortunately many chickens don't make it as far as 4. There are so many illnesses and diseases that they can suffer from and the are masters of the art of hiding illness until it is too late, so please don't beat yourself up over it. Perhaps getting a necropsy result might put your mind at rest on that score.

Sincerest sympathies

Barbara

 

[blondiebee181]

X2 on everything said here, I lost my precious hen Daisy last year to egg yolk peritonitis...she had had problems with internal laying before, recovered, and then struggled again....and the second time, we had her put to sleep, we knew it was time, her abdomen was swollen with the infection, and hatchery stock Legs are unfortunately prone to issues, but she was a very special hen to us. If your girl was already immuno-compromised (weakened) to begin with and then caught the secondary cold somehow that your other bird struggled with, there would have been very little you could have done....chickens are small creatures and can take downturns very quickly so don't beat yourself up. I am dealing with some issues with one of my cats right now, her teeth and gums are swollen from periodontal disease and she needs 3/4 of them pulled...I should have taken notice a long time ago, but she is so outwardly healthy and playful (and eating just fine) that I didn't catch it until I was tusseling with her the other day and noticed she is already missing FOUR of her lower incisors. I felt SO SO bad after going to the vet, but animals instinctively hide their pain as a defense mechanism...in any case, hugs to you and your family...it's never easy, keep us posted on a necropsy.