Thistlewick Smallholding - Chickens & Sheep (for now)

[TwoCrows]

No, she passed a couple days ago, just fell asleep and died peacefully. You know it's bad when they won't even take water. I knew that it was over then.

I am so sorry she is gone.

 

[Shadrach]

I think you did the right thing with Maryanne. Many years ago I used to kill the sick chickens once I thought their qaulity of life wasn't, in my view, enough to keep living. I think we do this for a mixture of reasons, sometimes it's because we can't bear to see them suffer.
I let them get on with dying these days. Having watched a lot of chickens die with their flock mates around them rather than in some strange intensive care unit, it seems to me this way gives them a more dignified death. We just can't save them all and often in trying we do more harm than good is my belief.
I do give pain relief in the last few days and if I've been at the field at the time if they don't make their way there on their own, I settle them under my chair on the grass where they can see down the field and see their family and wait for them to die.
I was rather upset not to be there when Henry, the tribes rooster for the last nine years died but he died overnight with his family around him.

 

[thistlewick]

I honestly did not think of bringing her down to let her sit and watch her flockmates, that's such a beautiful idea. Though when she died they were far away on the farm doing their daily routine. She had the babies and teenagers for company though, as they all still hang around the hen house quite a lot. And Tilly - sitting her nest.

Tilly is such a beautiful broody - she raptor screams at everyone but me, and when I go to her she just coos at me, gosh I love her so much. I only peek under to to check for any newly laid eggs once a day. She's got 9 eggs, a nice big batch. If they end up doing nothing, I don't care. lol I don't need 9 more chickens, they will probably all get sold, but I wanted to let her do her thing, she has tried 4 times within six months lol

Tomorrow I have a quandary.

I get to visit my son, dil and grandson -- but they want us to stay late to play board games.

So do I leave the chooks locked up all day? Give the run/extension a real test run? There is 408 square feet for 14 adult chickens, 17 teens and 8 babies. LOTS of visual barriers. Escape for the babies to complete safety.

OR

Do I just.. leave the run door open for a couple hours after sundown and close it when I get home?

I've got cameras everywhere, nothing comes close to the hen house. Nothing since we put it there last September. Nada.

So do I risk it for their comfort for the day? it's gonna be hot tomorrow.. ugh, I hate to think of them stuck in there all day ><

I cannot decide!

 

[WingItRanch]

Well... you built that extra big run so you can vacation, right? This sounds like the perfect time to do a test run!

Just my 2 cents, I say lock them up. One day without free ranging won't hurt them....but a predator attack would. Some predators will sit there and wait until humans leave before taking their chance.

 

[thistlewick]

Yeah we just aren't leaving until 4pm. And they'd be vulnerable for about 2 hours.

 

[thistlewick]

Was worried about getting the ducks some water they can dunk their heads in, but my husband said he'd help with that - we can shoo them away at the door.

They will be confused at us, I'm sure - but they will get over it. It's just a day.

I can still go into the hen house itself to get poop off boards and collect eggs, so I will definitely still be doing that. But yeah, a good test run!

edit; snuck a peek on my camera and they are completely unbothered, just chillin.. why am I so worried haha