Daisy The Hen

I have not been writing on my blog for a few days. I have been a bit busy trying to keep my chickens alive. It all started with Daisy the hen. She was a Buff Orpington. She was the sweetest of all of the chickens. She was also Chick Magnet's favourite. I went out to check on them and she was just sitting there by herself, tilted to the side. I understand that most (if not all) chicken farmers would not take their hen to see a vet. I felt helpless looking at her. I had raised her from babyhood and was attached. People don't get harassed for taking their dogs to the vet. So I put Daisy in the box and off we went. Oddly enough on the way there, a bird smacked into the front of my windshield and died. I found it a bit ironic I was racing my bird to be saved from an untimely death, and in the process I killed one.

Evidently chickens are considered "Exotic." Which means this in vet terms...
"We are going to charge you twice as much to treat this rare exotic chicken." I thought $60.00 was steep but I was already there so I agreed. The vet said she didn't know what was wrong with Daisy. We would have to do $150.00 blood work. I just blinked at her. I had literally just hung up with my Mother who had blood work done that day and it was the same price. I couldn't do it...beloved chicken or not. I asked her how much it would cost if we just assumed she had everything they were testing for.

$40.00.

Ok....I choose door number two.

She sent us home with anti-inflammatory, anti-biotics, and pain killer. "It is SO EASY to give a chicken medicine" she said. "Just pop her beak open like a snap-dragon...nothing to it!"

There was no easy about it. I had to lay on her and man handle it down her throat. I could hear the surrounding farmers laughing at me from all over the county. I took such good care of her that night but the next day she was worse. I called the vet and they told me it would be $85.00 to put her down. I had to make a choice. That seemed silly. I could buy the kids new shoes for that price. I had a friend who has chickens and knows what to do in these cases. He gracefully ended her misery. I was so thankful to him. It wasn't easy but I didn't want the other chickens to get sick. Especially my Chick Magnet. I knew she was not going to get better.

Daisy will be missed...I tried my best.

I guess that is all part of this Chicken Adventure.