- Feb 27, 2016
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Hello BYC Family. My heart has been shredded to pieces and I was hoping maybe someone could explain what happened About two years ago I got a serama peep. She seemed perfectly healthy until she started to lay eggs. Start she would favor one leg and limp till she got her egg out and then one day she struggled so hard to lay an egg it was a miracle she made it through. Unfortunately, it came with a price. She could no longer walk. She regained some strength and could wobble around if she had something on her sides and she refused to use the wheelchair we bought. Other than not being able to walk she looked healthly and decided I would be her legs. Needless to say she lived in the house with us. I spent endless hours on the floor with her trying to let her feel like she was a hen and a happy hen. Her and I just simply loved each other and needed each other. A bond I never could have imagined. Now after that recovery it was time to lay eggs again, but now I had to help her each time. The first round went well and she sat on them. Then when she was finished sitting it was three months before she had to lay another egg. About 2 weeks before the first egg of this batch came she started to have labored breathing. I thought she got sick with some kind of respiratory issue so I treated as such. Her breathing got worse, panting, throat going in and out and suddenly 2 weeks in she needs to lay an egg. She struggled a bit and the egg looked like it was longer than it should be but instantly the heavy breathing stopped. I should mention after she became disabled all her eggs were soft shell and we tried all kinds of calcium but could not get her to lay hard eggs. Her next egg went normal, no heavy breathing for weeks before it came out. She gathered enough to sit again. Got off, three months later which brings us to the beginning of October she starts the same thing labored breathing. She looked healthy, did our usual activities together, and had the perfect poops. Lol So I was gentle as gentle could be cause I assumed it was an egg like before. I kept feeling her vent and could not feel an egg until 10 days later. I knew it was the day. When her comb got bright red and clear liquid began to trickle from her vent from contracting we got in position. I held her up for 6 hours. She would barely try to push and when she did she would swing her head like she was trying to clear her throat or sneeze but I know she was not sick. At least respiratory sick. She at this point looked so poorly. I couldn't even get her to drink. I decided to gently feel her vent area and it was very hard. She must be egg bound was my first thought. My husband brought me a bowl of oil for me to gently lube her vent but after I did 10 seconds later she did that head flicker sneeze thing multiple times and died. Does anyone know why after she sits on her nest and gets up it took her 3 months to start laying again and why the very first egg of the batch caused her to have labored breathing for two weeks before the egg came with no egg to be felt until time for her to lay it. And why did she died cause I put oil on the outer area of her vent. I barely touched her. I'm pretty sure she was egg bound but I don't understand why there was the labored breathing for such long periods before any sign of an egg. And the breathing didn't phase her till it was time to lay. I also don't understand why after getting off her eggs it would be months before she would lay again and even giving calcium her egg shells were soft. I so broken hearted and lost without her and it makes it worse not knowing why this all happened and wondering if only I didn't touch her with that oil she may have got through on her own like in the very beginning when the the consequences were not being able to walk. I know this was long. I thank you all for being there and listening. Don't forget to hug your baby (chicken) today!
