Sad news from the chicken coop

I'm sad to report that, this week, we lost Samantha and Carrie, two of our four original ex-battery hens, which we re-homed two years ago. We'd already lost Miranda last Autumn, so that just leaves Charlotte now, who, thankfully, appears in good health at the moment.
It's always upsetting to lose a pet, but at least they had just over two years of free range living. That's not bad going as I'm told that ex-battery hens rarely live longer than a year once they're rescued because of the huge toll their time in battery conditions takes on their bodies.
Samantha had been the original alpha female of the flock and once commanded great respect from her peers. For the last week or two, she'd looked a little off-colour; her comb was dull and floppy and her appetite had waned. Also, no matter how much grit I put down for them, her crop kept filling with fluid. Her last couple of days were spent in a make-shift hospital wing in the garden shed, where she had a bit of peace and quiet. Carrie deteriorated much quicker, suddenly becoming very unsteady on her feet and lethargic. She had always been the runt of the group and was a sickly-looking little hen when we first got her, with very few feathers. Most of her feathers grew back as a result of free range living, expect for a stubborn little bald patch on the top of her head. Unfortunately, when she became old and a little unwell, this gave her the appearance of a grumpy-looking little vulture.

On a positive note, the three ex-battery hens that we re-homed last month are thriving; their feathers have grown back and their combs are red. They're full of life and you'd never know that they came from a battery farm. Now that our flock is down to eight, next Spring is sure to bring some new arrivals...