Carol's Chickens

Speckles was our oldest girl and we knew that the day would come when we would lose her. What we didn’t expect was for it to be now.

What I would have expected was a gradual slow down. Speckles was still eating well and enjoying the treats. She was always the first to the lunch time apple every day. She was still full of life and was always chatty. She was our most vocal girl.

I could see her age in her eyes though. She still had a red comb but her eyes had become very narrow.

Last night I went out to give the girls their bedtime corn at half past five. I always give it at about an hour before the pop hole closes which at the moment is at half past six.

I rattled the corn and Speckles came running as usual. After the corn the three bigger girls always go in the chicken shed first followed by Spangle. Spangle has worked out that it’s easier to go in before Smoke who will block the pop hole for a while.

Shadow, Sugar and Salmon are always the last in. Since I have stopped leaving the shed door ajar all the girls have been in before the pop hole closes every night.

I closed our bedroom curtains as I always do before going out to the chickens. I was surprised to see the white shapes of the little girls running back and forth across the edge of the patio area and knew that they must be shut out.

I went out and as soon as I got to the gate I could see why they were out. Speckles was lying, dead, in the middle of the patio area. I think that Salmon, Shadow and Sugar hadn’t wanted to pass her.

I felt her and her breast was still slightly warm. It had been less than hour since I had left the girls. It was such a shock.

My husband took her from me and put her in the shed until morning as it was quite dark by now. Shadow first and then Sugar jumped on to my back and I got my husband to pass them to me so that I could perch them. Salmon by then had made her way to the open shed door so I picked her up and put her on the perch.

I inspected Speckles and there was no sign of anything untoward and her crop was full. I think she would have been on her way in to the chicken shed and just didn’t make it. It must have been quick.

My husband said that it was the best chicken death you could want as their was no decline and no decision needed but the quickness of it has left me reeling. I am just stunned and I didn’t have any time to get used the idea of her going.

I can’t believe that Speckles has gone just a week after Marmite. This morning my husband dug a deep hole in the chicken’s strip to bury her and I planted a big primula on top of her. My husband made a wooden cross to mark her spot. Sadly Speckles is number seven in the chicken’s strip.

I took this photo a week ago to show how pale Marmite’s comb was. Even our elderly Speckles had a red comb. You can see her age in her eyes though.

Both my husband and myself had noticed her eyes over the last couple of days had narrowed a bit more and had a far away look to them.

I took a photo for my record and wasn’t sure if I should put it here or not. I decided that as it is blurred I would because I feel it shows how I found her and how sudden it was.

I will do a tribute to Speckles over the next day or two. I have many years of photos to look back through so it will take me quite some time but I want to do her justice.

Speckles was a very special girl and will be very much missed.

Flame seems to like sharing a nest box. If another girl is in a nest box Flame will always choose to share.

Today Sugar was in the nest box first.

Flame was making the mournful sound that she always makes when she is about to choose a nest box. The next time I checked on the girls Flame was settled in the nest box with Sugar.

The next time I checked Sugar and Flame’s eggs were side by side. It looks as if Sugar is just putting up with Flame’s company. It is quite sweet though how Flame likes to share. I love seeing the different sized girls together like this.

In other news Smoke laid her first egg today since her broody spell. This is only two weeks after her last egg so not too bad. Just one week broody and one more weeks break.

That’s all the girls laying except Speckles and Ebony. Speckles I don’t expect to lay but I am a bit perplexed by Ebony’s lack of laying.

Plenty of eggs though so not a problem as long as all the girls are happy and healthy.

This is another example of being able to tell my girls eggs apart. I know Sophie is always surprised how well this works for me but I am guessing that her girls’ eggs are very similar.

I am not saying that there won’t be occasions, if I haven’t seen a girl in the nest box and if it is the more similar shaped eggs that I won’t be certain and sometimes it is a process of elimination, but most of the time it’s easy to tell.

Today both Shadow and Spangle wanted to lay at the same time and in the same next box. Familiar story! They were both in and out and being very vocal about it taking turns to shout.

I decided to put Shadow in one nest box and Spangle in the one next to it. To my surprise they accepted this and both settled down in their nest boxes. I decided to get my camera and take a photo of each girl in her nest box.

Some of the photos were a bit blurred so I decided to go back and take a few more photos. I just happened to catch Spangle laying her egg.

Spangle’s egg is the torpedo shaped egg on the left and Shadow’s is the small round egg on the right.

You can see how different they are. Although Smoke lays a round egg her eggs are quite large for serama eggs and she isn’t yet laying after her recent broody spell. Salmon’s eggs are round but bigger than Shadow’s. Shadow’s eggs are the smallest of all the eggs. Sugar’s few eggs have been oval and also bigger. Spangle’s eggs are always this long and narrow shape.

There may be a few times when I can’t be sure but most of the time it is easy to tell. I love how different all the eggs are. It is rather a fun thing.

Both Salmon and Spangle have now started laying. I am amazed that at the moment I can still tell the eggs apart.

I didn’t catch either Salmon or Spangle laying but I knew it was them that had laid. I found Spangle’s egg just inside the pop hole in the morning. I knew it was her egg as it was the typical torpedo shaped egg that she always lays.

Salmon’s egg was in the nest box and although I missed her actually sitting before laying I knew it was her egg as she was very vocal and kept returning to the nest box after I removed the egg. The girls get a bit confused before they get into their stride.

Shadow laid her egg soon afterwards and it was the typical small size that all her eggs have been so this proved to me that the other egg was Salmon’s.

Sugar had laid some oval shaped eggs but is erratic at the moment. She doesn’t seem to have hit her stride yet.

Other than these girls Flame is the only other one laying at the moment and there is no mistaking her eggs. They are large and always have calcium bubbles on them.

On the left is Spangle’s torpedo shaped egg. Next is Shadow’s small round egg. Next is Salmon’s slightly bigger round egg and on the right is Flame’s egg.

Again Spangle’s egg is on the left, next is Shadow’s egg, next is Salmon’s bigger egg and on the right is Flame’s egg.

I took these photos a couple of days ago put didn’t put out a post as I wanted to do my tribute to Marmite.

Today the same girls have laid again and once more Spangle’s is torpedo shaped, Shadow’s is the smallest and Salmon’s a bit bigger. Today’s eggs are pretty much identical to the eggs above.

Shadow has turned out to be a really good layer and has just laid four days in a row. I am happy her eggs are small as I think it is easier on her laying small eggs.

I wonder if this means Shadow may turn out to be a broody girl as it’s the good egg layers that tend to go broody.

Sugar doesn’t seem to have properly got going yet and I have no idea why Ebony isn’t laying. Ebony has a very red face and comb and is as active as normal. Maybe she will turn out to be another Speckles who never laid as well as her breed usually do.

In other news Smoke has just come out of being broody. As usual she began having longer spells out in the run and for the last few days has only gone in the nest box when there is an egg to sit on. Once I take the egg she stays out. Smoke has also perched in the chicken shed for the last three nights instead of a nest box.

Luckily there are plenty of eggs even without all the girls laying. I expect Smoke will start laying again in about a week’s time. Well done girls!

It has been so sad to lose Marmite at only three years old. Marmite laid soft shelled eggs plus a few weird shaped ones all last summer and we always knew that the beginning of the laying season this year could well be her downfall.

Marmite was able to enjoy another six months of being happy and healthy over the winter though so we are thankful for that. While looking back through my photos to do this tribute I realised how different Marmite’s first laying year was.

In my blog posts I have said that closely behind Smoke, Marmite was the best egg laying serama, that year. I had also forgotten that she went broody several times during her first year.

Marmite was quite a character and was always happy to join another girl in the nest box. Marmite was bottom girl until Shadow and Sugar came along and had such a sweet nature.

Marmite was such a beautiful girl and had such a lovely nature. One of the things that made it so hard to let her go was that she still showing her spirit just a few days ago.

Sugar got close to Marmite and Marmite rose up and gave her a light peck. I could almost read Marmite saying that she may be down but she was no longer bottom girl and Sugar and Shadow had best not forget that.

I am glad that she had the chance to rise up the pecking order a little. She is gone but will never be forgotten and will be much missed.

I have had such a struggle to come to a decision with Marmite. After a summer of laying soft shelled eggs last year I knew there was likely to be a problem this year.

Over winter Marmite has had an extra, happy and healthy, six months of not having to lay eggs. Twice last summer I had gently pulled a soft shell egg from Marmite’s vent and always worried that one could break inside her.

What made this decision so hard is that Marmite was still eating corn twice a day and pecking at apples. We have seen girls give up in the past. They stand looking hunched and refuse to eat even the treats. We then know it’s time. Marmite was still perching and preening and eating treats.

I said I would give her the weekend then on Monday just one more day and then again Tuesday just one more day. Today I knew that I couldn’t leave it any longer.

I knew that she wasn’t going to be fixed and it was only a matter of time. Marmite’s comb and face were pale. Marmite was like a chicken in slow motion. She wasn’t doing all the normal chicken things. I knew that she wasn’t having a good quality of life.

I took a last photo of Marmite and gave her some corn and apple and called the vets.

My usual vet at Flackwell Heath was too busy and said to go their sister vet in High Wycombe. We had never been there before. We had an appointment for twelve o’clock.

When I put Marmite in the cat box she didn’t want to go in and was quite spirited in trying to escape. Once in though she settled down and sat quietly. I gave her some corn but she wasn’t interested.

The vet was really busy but well organised. We parked and someone, masked, asked who were and said she would let reception know we were here. Soon a masked vet came to the vehicle. We too both had our masks on. We gave the vet the cat box and I explained Marmite’s history. I explained that I had been putting off bringing her and that she may well try to escape the cat box as she was still quite spirited when I had put her in.

He said he could see from the colour of her face and comb how poorly she was. I said that I usually hold my girls while they are put to sleep but that I could see that wouldn’t possible. He said that he would take good care of her and bring her back to me afterwards.

The vet was soon back and asked if I would like to hold Marmite which I did. He said that I had done the right thing. She was very weak and quite empty and was ready to go. She didn’t struggle at all and went very quickly.

He said that he gave her a whiff of gas and then put the drug up inside her as it is more humane than trying to find a vein to inject.

He said that he was certain that if she was opened up he would find peritonitis which is an egg either stuck or broken inside. He was very kind. He said I could pay later over the phone or go to the reception hatch which I did.

I am so glad that this is over and we can stop keeping going over what to do every day. We have said that in future we will decide sooner but of course that is easier to say than do and every case is different.

Marmite was only three years old and had such a sweet nature. I will do a tribute to her soon with some photos. She will be missed.

A few days ago my husband called me into the garden to see a mouse that was in one of the bird cages that holds square fat blocks.

I got my camera and held it at arms length and randomly snapped some photos. I didn’t want to get closer as I didn’t want to disturb the mouse. The little mouse didn’t seem bothered by me. Only one of the photos was properly in focus though so I am only showing that one.

Little mouse was having a good feed.

In other news Shadow has turned out to be a good layer of little, round, eggs. She is laying two days out of three. Sugar hasn’t quite hit her stride yet and is laying slightly bigger, oval, eggs once every three or four days.

Salmon and Spangle haven’t started laying yet which is quite late as they usually start in February. Smoke is of course broody.

Flame is laying well at two eggs every three days. Ebony is a strange one. Ebony laid two eggs at the end of December. She then laid two eggs in February on the 16th and 23rd and hasn’t laid since. Last year she laid every other day. She looks healthy and has a red comb.

Then comes the difficult bit. Marmite is still the same and I am finding it a real struggle to know what to do for her. I have hope every morning when I give sunflower hearts and late afternoon when I give corn. I sprinkle some in front of Marmite and she eats them but won’t compete if another girl moves in. She then sits with her eyes closed as if just eating has been an effort.

At other times Matmite is preening and she will peck at the lunchtime apple. I find it difficult to make the decision to have her put to sleep while she is still eating but it is like she is in slow motion. She does everything very slowly and doesn’t move very far. She is actually remaining no better but no worse.

This makes it difficult for me to make the decision. I know that Marmite won’t get better and I don’t want her to suffer but this is so difficult. I keep thinking that I will leave it just one more day but I know that I must act soon.

There is a problem going on with Marmite. Last year Marmite had a problem with laying soft shelled eggs.

Marmite would look very hunched and down a day or two before laying her egg. She would then lay a soft shelled egg and bounce back to normal. Throughout this her face and comb remained a good red colour.

Marmite was laying about once a week last year. My biggest worry was that an egg would break inside her but she always managed to get her eggs laid. Once the end of the laying season arrived Marmite remained happy and healthy but I worried about the start of laying again this year.

About a week ago Marmite had the familiar look of being about to lay a soft shelled egg. I realised that she was going to struggle again this year. I had been hoping that the problem may have miraculously righted itself but I knew in my heart that this was unlikely.

As the days went by I was hoping that Marmite would get a soft shelled egg laid but she showed no sign of laying. Over the intervening week I noticed her face and comb getting paler. I know this is a bad sign.

I looked back at the photos of Marmite a week or so ago when I took some with the allotment cabbage and some with her wonky feather and sure enough her face and comb were a lovely red colour. There is something wrong.

Look how pale Marmite’s face and comb looks compared to the other girls and Salmon isn’t laying yet and Speckles is unlikely to lay and is elderly but still has a healthy red comb.

I have picked Marmite up and inspected her and I can’t see anything. She looks like she does in the above photo all the time which is an unhappy pose.

Marmite is eating the sunflower seeds and corn although not as enthusiastically as usual and we have seen her pecking at the apple and drinking water and I have seen her poop. I have also seen her stretching her wings out in the sun and she is preening her feathers.

On the other hand I haven’t seen her dust bathing recently and she spends a lot of her time in the big wooden shelter where she obviously feels safe while feeling out of sorts.

I am in a really difficult position because I know the problem is egg related after last year. This means there is nothing I can do to help her and there is nothing a vet can do to help her other than to put her to sleep.

On the one hand I don’t want to let her suffer but on the other hand I don’t want to give up on her too soon. I keep hoping that she will get an egg laid and bounce back but again in my heart I know that she isn’t going to be fixed.

I know that when a chicken stops eating they have given up and that is usually the point of no return. Marmite hasn’t stopped eating so I feel that she hasn’t given up yet and therefore I can’t give up yet. Yet each day that goes by with her looking so dejected breaks my heart.

I know in my heart of hearts that Marmite is nearing the end of the road. I feel so sad for her and so frustratingly helpless. I feel that we can only give it a little while longer before we have to make the dreaded decision.

I keep clinging on to hope for a better outcome but I know that I have to ready myself . Marmite is only three years old. It is just so sad.

Sugar laid her second egg today, four days after her first egg and this time I caught her in the nest boxes.

Shadow also laid her egg just before Sugar and what with that and broody Smoke being in a nest box there was a lot of back and forth and quite a bit of shouting on Sugar’s part.

This was the first time that I had heard Sugar shout and she is a loud girl!

Smoke was in the nest box next door which is next to the store cupboard. Sugar’s egg is smaller than her first one but again it is oval shaped compared to Shadow’s round egg and this time no blood smear.

Well done Sugar!

I usually worm the girls twice a year in March and September. This year I totally forgot in September. By the time I realised that I had missed doing it I decided that it was near enough to March to just do it then.

I have now been giving them daily flubenvet for seven consecutive days and I haven’t found any worms in their poop so I am wondering if just once a year is enough.

I always add the flubenvet to four little dishes of mash as I find this is a really easy way to make sure all the girls get a share. The girls love mash and by the end of the day the dishes are empty and I make sure that I have seen all the girls get a share.

The job is done easily and the girls have enjoyed their daily mash.