Gonna lose my oldest girl

[Bramble-Poultry]

My oldest hen, an 8 and a hlaf year old ex-battery hen is on its last legs. We have done all we can to keep her comfy but she is not eating, wont com edown the ramp and has gone all lethargic.

I am not going to run around down the vets and put this potion on or that pill in, she is a very very old bird who time has come and she needs to go with dignity.

We had her ever since she literally jumped into the car at Harper Adams University College, when one of the students thought it would be funny to let out the battery hens! She had no fear of people having seen students every day of her life and therefore very very friendly.

She always has been the boss of the flock and each winter we think she isnt going to make it, but each year she struggles on.

I think that the last time we had an egg from her was last summer and it weighed nearly 80g!

anyways, just thought i would share with you the impending loss of one of my oldest girls. We will let her slip away in the nest with dignity. If she is in any pain we will act obviously but sometimes they just sleep.

[kirsty b]

Aww, thats such a shame but she sounds like a fab old girl. Hope she slips away peacefully xxxx

[MaureenHall]

Sorry to hear this Mike and Jennie but like you say, her time has come and she's had a fantastic innings thanks to you and yours. It's nice that she'll just slip away xxx

[bargainhunter]

I lost my eldest on friday evening , she had been quiet for a few days and on friday just sat in the greenhouse and slept- wouldnt eat or drink so i knew it was time.

She would have been with us for 3 years this coming saturday so not as long as yours, but still the loss hurts. Just think of the fab time they get when they come to us....



......and im getting some more soon cant help but help them poor little chook chooks.

I hope your chook slips away quitetly best wishes

[Hans Mum]

sorry mike, i lost 1 of my batts this week, she was out in the sunshine dust bathng then an hour later she had gone but as my OH said at least she died being a chicken, hope yours goes peacefully 8 is a fantastic age x

[Suechooks]

It brings a lump in your throat doesn't it.

[Glutton4...]

Eight! That's amazing! Well done you for all that love and care - it has obviously made a big difference. I didn't realise they could go on that long to be honest. It's a credit to you!

Fingers crossed she slips away in her sleep. *sniff*

[Nicos]

Gosh- that's a fantastic age- you've clearly been giving her an exceptional quality of life !

What a pity she's gone through that awful winter and not going to enjoy the good weather to come.

'Dignity in death'...good choice.
xx

[Flummery]

Poor hen - she's lived an exceptional life though. You must be looking after them well.

[RichmondHens]

Oh sorry to hear it Jennie/Mike. These oldies do work their way into your heart don't they? As you say, her time has now come and no pills or potions will keep her going now. My oldest will turn 8 later this year and I keep wondering how much longer she will go on for. Still laying a couple of eggs a week though and at the moment bright and perky so fingers crossed.

[Bramble-Poultry]

Thanks for all your wishes everyone - Ellie has just had a peck half heartedly at some pasta I stuck in for her and then went back to sleep, I would not be surprised if she departs overnight.

Sally - we have been saying that for nearly a year with this one - its amazing how some just keep going!

Our second oldest bird died over the winter too, she was a light susex and she would have been 8 in June, so when this one goes our oldest bird is Atilla and she is 6 and half now. Ellie and the light sussex were our two remaining origional hens from the 6 we started with way back when!! Ellie is short for Paella by the way, our origional six were called tikka, nugget, burger, paella and buttercup and blossom!!

[its hilly]

Sorry to hear that guys. Thats a stunning age for an ex-bat, she sure picked the right home to go to. She's had a great life with you and you are right not to 'mess' her around at the end.
dont suppose thats much consolation at the moment though. They do manage to get to you don't they.

[Hilary B]

My first hens, black-rock types, I got them as POL, and I can't remember the exact age the last one survived to, but it was definitely more than 7 (she was over 6 when she taught me not to let a broody have access to the laying nests if she is suposed to be sitting elsewhere) and less than 10. At this distance (over 25 years) I can only go by house moves. She somehow managed to be special just by outlasting her sisters, indeed I can't even remember how or when we lost any of the others. She fell victim to a stray dog (semi-stray, it came through the fence from next door, couldn't really say much, our goats had raided their veg patch some time before, and they did TRY to keep their animals in the right place).
I can't recall any other that we had as long.

[frias]

What a great age . She must have had a wonderful life once out of the cage.

[Bramble-Poultry]

on her first night with us, she spent all night outside in the run, feeliog the soil between her toes and staring up at the sky trying to work out what those sparkly things in the sky were.

She wouldnt go in to bed for about a week. i had to keep putting her in. She was a bossy old gal, top hen in the run. She was always the first to get the worms and she nearly died several times whilst i was digging by putting her head just where i was about to put the spade!

She is still with us tonight, and even made it up the ramp to bed tonight, but i suspect she will go in the nest tonight. she hasnt bothered perching with the others, just curled up in the nest box which is where i expect she will be in the morning.

over the years with us, she has suffered red mite (before we knew what to look for), she has lost toe nails, she has had frost bite on her comb, even fought a rat (and won). she is a real chicken!

it will be a sad day but i know that if we hadnt had her all those years ago, she would have been shipped off to pedigree petfoods nearly 8 years ago and become chicken chunks in gravy or similar. One month of life instead of that is a binus, 8 plus years is heaven on earth surely?