Recent content by High Mountain Hens

**UPDATE She’s acting back to normal, it’s all good now. Anyone have any ideas what that was about?

**FORGOT TO ADD: She occasionally has her mouth hanging open.

Hello BYC, I’m back. One of my girls, Chica, 3 years old, is acting a little weird. This afternoon, my mom spotted her lying in the middle of lawn out in the open. Now that I think about it, she was laying down quite a bit yesterday too. Of course, I didn’t think much of it then because all the...

Thank you. :hitLuela was my fave! We lost one other this year, Cassie, to a bobcat attack. I wasn’t terribly attached to her so therefore didn’t grieve too much. But I do miss my Big Lu.

I think my parents would be hesitant to use our kitchen knives to cut open a sick bird lol. If we weren’t going on this trip, I probably would have been able to convince them. And we don’t have super duper sharp scissors. Just crafting ones. But I do need to look into getting a scalpel and...

Update** Despite our best efforts, Luela passed away in my arms. We kept her alive because she was showing false signs of improvement. (Eating ground up seed, drinking, and occasionally looking around.) I wish I could say it was a peaceful death. I don’t have the tools to perform a necropsy...

She is starting to show more interest in food, was picking up seeds and putting them down. We ground up some grubs and scratch n’ peck and blended it with water. She gobbled it up. Other than that, not a whole lot has changed. Not better, not worse.

Me!! Though not for much longer, lol.

Since Friday. She hasn’t been eating her scratch and peck, but did eat 5 blueberries yesterday.

I would have to say Wednesday or Thursday. I can take away her food and water tonight, but I’m not sure if she’ll be culled or not by then. I feel like the water is providing her some comfort. I’m waiting to see if she’ll get better. Her crop is squishy because it has water in it.

I honestly don’t think it has anything to do with laying. I looked into it, but this hen hasn’t layed an egg in her entire life. Her belly doesn’t feel swollen or anything. The only thing that’s come out of her butt is poop!

Right now it’s just full of water. I would assume it’s been emptying because she’s been pooping (though that’s just water too.) Internally laying? I might have to look into that. We may cull her this afternoon, but I’m hesitant until we’ve exhausted all options.

**Both legs are weak, it was just the left one that had the curled toes.

It was going to be a simpler deal, I think she’d probably agree. I will only be gone for two days, but I don’t want my bird to die on her watch. By the time we figure out what is happening, I’m not sure she’ll be among the living…