I had to do something that was probably the hardest thing to date in my farming experience. It has taken me a number of days to be able to sit down and write this . Deep down I I know that I made the right decision but it does not make that decision easy or without grief.
One of my sweet chickens , Jo, was failing. One evening when I went out to put them away she was still outside and not able to get up. I was not sure what had happened but I went into hyper nurture mode and scooped her up and set her in a safe space with food and water. Anticipating that she would not be alive in the morning I wanted her to be with her flock mates and not be alone.
The next morning she was bright and chatty and simply could not walk. So with having one chicken in a personal support chair (no wheels) why not two. As each busy day passed she was still doing well and I finally found the time to make her a chair.
She did very well in the chair and I felt she was improving.
After about a week, she started getting out of her chair or whatever apparatus I set up "for her own good" and I was finding her in the hen yard with the rest of the flock. I could not get any video of how but she was determined to be with them. So I let her.
Each day (for a few days) I would escort her out with her own food and water bowls and always find her wherever the others were and each evening I would take her in. Setting her up in a protected corner with her personal feeding station.
Until Tuesday last week.
I went out to do the senior equine feeding and checked on the flock as I always do. I wanted to lay eyes on Jo and couldn't find her. My heart sank. Where could she be. I finally found her hidden between the coop and a large rock in the pen. I picked her up and what I saw was so hauntingly devastating I didn't know which way to turn.
She had been hit by a case of what I would later learn was flystrike. I won't go into all of the gory details and be forewarned if you google it. It was the worst thing I have ever had to deal with. I am still traumatized by what I saw. As I was bathing her, I realized that she needed to be put out of her misery and it could not wait until the morning for me to call a vet. It needed to be done that night.
I went into the house and I asked David to do what had to be done. I ask a lot of him on a regular basis but this was so hard for me. We had to, humanely as we could, cull her so that she would not suffer any longer.
This was a first in our ranching/faming/sanctuary experience. Whatever you want to call it. And it was hard. I have dealt with death and loss but never had to deal with this decision, like this. Hopefully, we never have to do it again.
Rest easy sweet Jo. Until we meet again - you can always come back in a new life. xo
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