Shazzy, one of our new ex battery hens freed on 22nd February 2009 has been very poorly. Yesterday her condition worsened, she could not breathe easily, was gasping and making such a noise each time she inhaled it was heartbreaking. We had a vet appointment already booked for her to be seen yesterday evening, which helped to ease our minds as we were very concerned about her breathing and we also suspected EYP. Our vet confirmed our fears. Shazzy was suffering from EYP – Egg Yolk Peritonitis (laying internally) and the respiratory infection that we were already treating her for had not responded to the medication from before, in fact it had got worse.

 

Our vet thinks these 2 ‘conditions’ were secondary and that she most likely had a tumour. She was very very weak, falling asleep as she was being examined and struggling to breathe. We did hope that we could manage her EYP (some hens can cope well) but everything else about her was not up to it.

We had to say goodbye to Shazzy last night. Our vet felt it would be cruel to allow her to continue and advised us to allow her to be PTS. She had 2 weeks of freedom.

 

Another victim of the battery system.

 

I feel so sad and so helpless that I could not make her strong. I wish we had more time with her, it does my head in. WHY WHY WHY??

 

Goodbye sweet Shazzy, you have been loved and you will be missed.