Lost a chicken

[hedgie]

Hi everyone just to let you know I lost one of my girls on monday Pheonix had been unwell with symtoms of sour crop on and off for a few weeks.
I kept treating it and it cleared up and she perked up but within a week it was back each time. She was also getting very thin.
Over the wkend she detoriated rapidly - lots of TLC, stewed apple, cuddles and sour crop treatment made no difference.
Off to vet first thing monday am - my vet was brilliant - I told him 'This is a pet not poultry! She has a name and sits on my lap so I want you to show her the same respect and kindness you show my dog'!!
He smiled and said that was absolutely fine. Turned out Pheonix had a tumour in her stomach, she couldnt digest most of her food so it was comimg back up into the crop causing sour crop. Basically I had been treating the symtom not the cause.
He explained she wouldnt recover but she could go on like this for a long time and he felt that was unfair on her - I agreed and she died peacefully in my arms as he injected her into the liver.
She felt no pain and showed no distress - which was my biggest fear. I had been told it was kinder to wring a chooks neck as they were difficult to put down etc. That was not the case with Pheonix - obviously I wished she could have gone peacefully in her sleep, but this was the closest option.
Problem now!! I have a nest box big enough for 3 chooks. I have 2 left. I know you're not supposed to bring in solo chook - yep bigger nest box is poss but the 2 girls I have left are not easy!!
Dodo is totally neurotic and scared of her own shadow and Speckle is the biggest thug of a chook I have ever come across! I am scared Sp will beat any newbies to a pulp and D will die of stress. But I am now left with 2 chooks and if 1 dies that leaves 1 lonely chook. Any advice? please dont say get rid of the thug - thug or not she is still a pet! Thanx guys

[Eyren]

Hi hedgie - sorry to hear about Phoenix

I would stick with the two hens you have for now, if you are worried about introductions. I had two hens (a Speckledy and a Wyandotte bantam) living happily together for the best part of eighteen months, and when the Speckledy died in January, I got two more bantams and the introductions were a piece of cake. Introducing two newcomers to one established hen is much easier than two residents and one newcomer, especially if the resident hen is older than the newcomers.

One hen by itself will get lonely, but a couple of weeks or so alone isn't going to kill her. The only time it would be a major problem is if one of the two died in late winter/early spring and you had set your heart on a particular pure breed as replacements - most pure breeds don't lay in winter, so POL pullets are hard to get hold of between about February and July.

[Tracey]

Hi Hedgie

Sorry about you loss. Sounds like she had a good life with you and was well loved.

Take care

Tracey

[kirsty b]

Sorry to hear that hedgie. Its always hard to lose an animal. Your vet sounds like a good bloke though. A kind vet really makes a difference in these situations.

[hedgie]

Thanx everyone for your advice and sympathy
I think I will stick to the 2 I have left for now. I would love to take a couple of x bats - but they wouldnt stand a chance with Speckle
I think I will wait until one of the others goes and then get 3 x bats and a bigger nest box.
The 2 left seem ok - poor Dodo was lost without her friend for a couple of days. They used to sit together etc and Dodo followed Pheonix everywhere. Speckle didn't give a toss of course!!

[Lauren b]

Evan low i did not go on this near the time i,m gon to say it now



sorry to here it must be hart broken hope she is ok rite now

[hedgie]

Thank you Lauren for your kind words. I am pleased to tell you Dodo is much more settled now.