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It had to happen sooner or later but poor Blackie has gone to the great hen roosting ground in the sky. It would have to happen to one of my new this year layers though; poor thing was barely a year old.

She'd been a bit dopey and listless the last couple of days, but often they seem to do this but snap out of it.

I just had a look at her dead and with rigor mortis she doesn't resemble a living hen much less my cute little Blackie so I'm not too upset about it. Hubby's off digging her a grave right now.

Poor M3!

Sad to see them go like that so early!

Nev

I'm sorry to hear that M3!

Sorry about that. I'm sure you will remember her.

Thanks for the sympathy everyone. I am pleased to report there have been no tears - in fact I feel a bit guilty that I don't feel more sad! But in a way I am happy to find that it is not devastating like when my cats have died. I suppose if I had a hen that lived in the house and sat on my lap in front of the TV it might have been a bit different.

One of our ducks did an amazing escape this week from our very well fenced in property, but was luckily found several hours later walking down the road - I think I was more upset at the prospect of losing a duck than losing a chook!

And I still have all those duck eggs, so having only one hen laying doesn't really matter!

sorry to hear that M3,

it's annoying when it happens but people always say that were there is livestock, there is deadstock ..

I remember the first one that died .. it was horrible because I had to neck it due to sickness ...

it's unfortunate but you will get used to it ..

Camile

Sorry to hear that M3. I remember when I lost my first chook, I didn't cry either. As you say, they are not pets in the way that the cats are and they will all die sometime.

Zoe

Millymollymandy wrote:It had to happen sooner or later but poor Blackie has gone to the great hen roosting ground in the sky. It would have to happen to one of my new this year layers though; poor thing was barely a year old.

She'd been a bit dopey and listless the last couple of days, but often they seem to do this but snap out of it.

I just had a look at her dead and with rigor mortis she doesn't resemble a living hen much less my cute little Blackie so I'm not too upset about it. Hubby's off digging her a grave right now.

None of mine go dopey and listless then snap out of it. If anything here went dopey and listless for a couple of days I would be at the vets since this is indicative of possible low grade bacterial infection and not a normal state to be in with hens, dogs, cats, children or anything living.In 25 years keeping poultry, the only time anything was dopey and listless for a couple of days it was sick!

Obviously your hens are different from my hens then.