Yesterday afternoon Popcorn was running up and down the dividing wire of the section that Silver is separated in as if desperate to get in there. I suddenly wondered if she wanted to lay an egg. I let her into Silver’s section of the run and she went straight into the little coup/nest box that she had used during the new girls’ time in this side of the run.
She started scratching around and I realised she did want to lay. This took me by surprise as she is only five months old and I hadn’t expected this so soon. Later I checked back and Popcorn was out of the nest box. There was a tiny egg with a faint blood streak on it.
I took this as a size comparison. Popcorn’s eggs should end up the size of Red’s egg, on the right, as they are both wyandottes. Well done Popcorn! It’s lucky I mixed the girls together when I did. I will now change the pellets over to layers pellets.
Silver has shown no improvement at all. We have now been treating her for four days and there is no change. She is now refusing to eat anything including the scrambled egg. She is still strong and fast when I go to pick her up as she doesn’t like me keep putting things in her beak and yet I know that if she doesn’t eat we will lose her. Other times she just sits hunched up and looking miserable.
Today I put some pellets and chopped tomato in her beak. Putting bits of a tablet in her beak made me realise I could put pellets in her beak but it is only a few and not nearly enough. I really don’t feel there is any point continuing with the med’s and I just don’t know what to do. We feel there must be some obstruction causing her to twist her neck and now to stop eating. It is only a matter of time before a painful decision needs to be made.
It’s a bank holiday Monday today. I am now thinking that I will have to take Silver back to the vets tomorrow to be put to sleep. I am feeling so upset right now.
Click here to see the history of my flock.
Great news on the one hand and difficult happenings on the other. As always, you have done all you can. Thinking of you.
I often find endings and beginnings go hand in hand in our chicken world. There hasn’t been much change today but while not eating Silver has looked a little better with no twisting of her neck. Not eating isn’t going to keep her though. We will see what tomorrow brings before making a decision.
Lovely that Popcorn has laid her first egg. Very sad about Silver, I know how upset you must feel. Thinking of you.
It was a surprise getting an egg from Popcorn already. Silver is now refusing to eat. Yesterday we put some food in her beak which is awful as she struggles. I will ring the vet today.