Lost a Laydee today

[MaureenHall]

I've just been out to collect the eggs (cos one of the girls was shouting "Bokbokbokbokchookbokbok" which means "There's an egg in that nest box there and I've just put it there for you and I want you to come and see it") and I found one of my newly rescued laydeez dead in the run. She didn't have a name yet, but she'd been very wheezy since I got her and I was waiting to see what name would suit her when she was better. She'd had nearly 3 weeks of freedom, and lots of love and attention. She got to feel the wind and rain, feel sunshine on her skin (she had very few feathers), had cuddles every night, and had the chance to be a proper chicken. I'm sorry she had to go but pleased that she didn't end up in a cheap chicken pie or pet food.

[kirsty b]

Thats a shame Maureen, but like you say, 3 weeks of real life is better than what so many battery birds get.

[Bramble-Poultry]

Maureen

Oh no!!! Soo sorry to hear your news - was it one of Steves?

We had six from Steve shortly before you and ended up taking them to the vets with "wheeze and runny eyes" thought it could have been mycoplasma - It wasn't.

Apparently it is a respiratory infection usually caused by the dust and spores in an intensive system (apparently respiratory infections are rife in these systems) and when they are resuced they are not weaned of the antibiotics they are fed in the intensive systems but kind of totally withdrawn from them - a shock to the system apparently. Or this is what the vet said to us anyways!

So he gave us a does of antibiotics to give to the girls to clear up the infection and then wean them off them properly. However saying this - we also lost one she just seemed too bad to bring back around - it was all just too much for her. Only 3 of the girls were infected and the other 2 picked up almost immediatley.

Keep your eyes on the other girls, any wheezing, bubbles in the nose or eyes - straight to the vets.

At least your lady had a great few weeks, she must have felt like the luckiest chicken ever.

Jennie

[frias]

They are always a worry these ex-batts but so rewarding too. So glad she got to spend her last days with you Maureen. At least she had a taste of the happy life.

[Pumpkin Becki]

Bless her, you gave her the best three weeks of her life Auntie Mo.

[Hans Mum]

sorry to hear Mo......at least she had a taste of freedom with you [[[[[[[[[hugs]]]]]]]]]]

[Nicos]

Very sad-as the others have said- you gave her a few weeks of freedom- and a real life

xx

[MaureenHall]

Thanks everyone.

Mike & Jennie, no it wasn't one of Steve's, they moulted for what seemed ages after I got them and it was 4 or 5 weeks before they started laying again. I did lose one of his after a couple of days. The rest are now the most beautiful ex-batts ever . The one that died today was from the Coventry rescue (BHWT) and although I'd seen horrible pictures of what the battery hens could look like, I wasn't mentally prepared for the sorry state the latest girls were in. These were the worst I cried all the way home because I wanted to give homes to more of them but couldn't (they all did get re-homed anyway). The remaining 4 of the latest batch are so friendly and cheeky, they've fitted in so well Ok, they still look really scraggy and their necks are starting to sprout new feathers so they look like scrawny-necked old men who haven't shaved properly

[ginger ninger]

That's so sad, i echo what everyone else say's.....if there's such a place as chooky heaven....she'll be there sat on her little purch telling all the other girls how a lovely lady came to her rescue...and she enjoyed every second of it.....big hug to you x

[Nicos]

Any piccies of the scrawny lasses????...it might encourage others to find extra room for a couple more rescue birds

[bluemoon]

At least she spent those three weeks acting like a chicken, which is more than most who end up in the disgusting battery system have. Hope your others are OK.

[RedThorn]

{{{hugs}}} know how you feel, lost one of the new ex-batts yesterday.

enough of the old men analogies... more like womens winter coats on the ol' legs * ducks*

[HayleyB]

Awwww, {{{{hugs}}}} to you aunty Mo and Steve as well, shame you lost another one too.

Unfortunately the way the poor girls suffer it's surprising more don't pop off sooner rather than later. At least we can all say that whilst they were with us they lived long enough to forget the horror of their previous year and died happier hens.......

[MaureenHall]

Any piccies of the scrawny lasses????...it might encourage others to find extra room for a couple more rescue birds

You really want to see this? Well here you are. the first ones are from 3 weeks ago when I first brought them home, the last 2 were taken about 5 minutes ago. Please ignore the background!! they aren't always cooped up in the mud run - you can see one of my other Laydeez in the picture as well, doesn't she look beautiful after 2 months

[HayleyB]

Amazing how they come around feather wise.

Mind you Babs from last November still has a big gap around her neck probably always will now, she looks funny only when she stretches her head up.

Turkey Bum whom I never though would get feathers on her bum has got some little black dots and she was from the March batch. For some it does take a while doesn't it Aunty Mo?