Sweet Jessica Gave Me Kisses

by Lisa M.
(Greer, SC)

In April 2020, my dad bought 10 Black Star chicks who were a mere 2 days old. I'd never been around chicks before, so I had no idea what to expect. I had no clue how much peace and love they'd give me.

From that first day, there was one who was curious about me, and she displayed a lot more courage than the others. They were named after the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, except for Jessica.

Soon, tiny Jessica was hopping to my hand and getting tummy and head scratches, which continued til her last day. I have endless videos of her falling asleep in my hands, and when she grew too big to do that, she'd hop all over me and inevitably end up falling asleep on my lap.

One day, instead of falling asleep, she started giving me hundreds of tiny, gentle nibbles while making the sweetest little noises. It was like she was overtaken with love and lost control, quickly and sweetly nibbling my arm, hands, and face, even going over my eyelids!

Of course my heart just melted. What a precious display of love. Thankfully I was able to capture it on video. It's not the best quality, but I'm so glad I have proof since my friends stare in disbelief that a chicken expresses love.

Just 2 months after their 3rd birthday, Dorit and Jessica died within 1month of each other. (Fortunately causes were different, so we're not dealing with a contagious deadly bug of some kind. I'll do another post about Dorit.)

Jessica had a bad case of sour crop, which is much more dangerous than I thought. Despite all efforts, Jessica held on until she was in my arms again to leave us. With her last breath she suddenly flapped her wings twice, held her head up, and left her body, taking my shattered heart with her.

RIP my little angel.

Cinnamon the Cinnamon Queen!

by Lainy
(Pennsylvania )

My sweet, funny Cinnamon Queen, Cinnamon, died unexpectedly on July 5th.

She was an anxious girl most of her one year of life, but boy, was she a broody one! She went broody so many times! We almost let her sit on a clutch of eggs!

She was at the bottom of the pecking order so I’d hand feed her treats when the rest of the flock wouldn’t let her eat the treats. She knew I’d hand feed her so she would fly up on the ledge next to the treats and eat out of my hand.

She had the most beautiful coloring and a fantastic comb and wattles!

I’m going to miss that silly hen so much!

For Mouse

by Lore
(Dryden, MI)

Mr. Mouse. A beautiful, kind Orpington. Always waiting for his grape jelly. Not really a rooster but a winged spirit everyone loved.

It's hard to imagine being so sorrowful over my lost bird. Every being is unique and Mouse took the prize.

God Speed Big Red.

Beverly (Big Bubba Baby Bebby Boo Boo)

by Valerie and Elodie
(Columbus, OH)

We have an urban backyard flock of 6 chickens. We thought we had all hens, but we ended up with a surprise rooster.

We kept his name, Beverly. He was a lavender Orpington, and so handsome.

He was my best friend. Whenever I went outside I’d hear him call my name “Buk-buk-buuk”. He was really kind. He would tidbit all the food to the girls. He was a good wing dancer and would try to herd me in with the flock. He loved peanuts.

He was a good boy, and all of a sudden he died in his sleep. I was really sad, because he was my best friend. I like to think he is in a place with lots of peanuts.

- Elodie age 8 via her mom Valerie.

Her name was Lola; she was a showgirl ❤️

by Sarah
(Houston, TX)

Sweet Lola was our tiny little showgirl. We picked her out of a rainy coop - she was our bonus chicken. We couldn’t bear to leave her while we adopted her coop mates.

And we loved her right away. She was quirky, was certain the house was her home, and followed me up the steps to try and sneak in when it was time to go to the coop.

I’m not going to lie, she gave us so many fits of laughter just looking at her silly naked neck. But we adored her and applied safe lotion every day to keep her skin looking fabulous. After all, what lady wants wrinkly décolletage? Lola had four toes on one leg and five on the other.

Lola was such a good, good little mama. She dutifully sat on her first tiny clutch of three eggs. None of them made it past day 14, but she was so devoted, we couldn’t bear to let her down. And so, we searched high and low for brand new hatchlings to sneak under her.

You will never hear a happier chicken than our new mother hen. Her sweet clucks and chooks started immediately as she nervously and excitedly tucked them under her wing. Her boy, Copernicus, loved perching on her back. If he wasn’t eating, he was sitting there, sometimes sleeping. Big sister Marie was happy to snuggle down under Lola’s very protective wing. It was so heartwarming for us to witness this miracle instinct God gave our tiny pet.

Tonight, as always, we took her out for some snuggles. Something wasn’t right. She immediately laid on my chest, gasping. It startled me - she had been just fine an hour before! But she continued to let me hold her, pet her, and tell her she was a good mama who was so loved. I felt her body struggle to take a last breath, and my sweet, dedicated baby girl died in my arms.

Losing our flock family members hurts every time. But I am so thankful that somehow, without fail, we have been tuned in to when they are about to pass, even when nothing has been outwardly wrong. It has been a sacred honor to comfort and talk softly to them in our last act of love and goodbye.

Lola brought joy, laughter, and silliness to our family. She showed us the miracle of how even the smallest of creatures gently love and care for their own babies. I have to believe that my sadness is also a reminder to never let the passing of any of my numerous creatures, big or small, feathered, scaled, or furry, become something that doesn’t give me pause to deeply feel that loss and be ok with sitting with it as I say goodbye to my friend.

I love you, Lola. We all love you so much. Thank you for bringing your sweet, silly light into our lives. We will see you again - because our Heaven will have chickens for sure.

In loving memory of Will aka Willow aka Willie Chonka

by Karin
(Massachusetts )

We lost Will this morning – my very first roo. He was supposed to be a hen but we lucked out although I didn’t think so at first.

He won our hearts, he was so sweet and loved to be hugged. We had him only three short years and he showed no signs of sickness. He was out free ranging this morning and he was found in the enclosure on his back with his feet up.

No predators, no signs of sickness. My heart is broken. He will be missed. It is already way too quiet…

Rollerskates

by Meghan Maguinness
(Cumbria. UK)

So, yesterday evening. I went out to put my 2 hens and one rooster back in their run for bed. It's the start of June and we've had some lovely weather so the hens had been allowed out to free range for the day.

Literally 30 seconds later I heard a knock on the door. My neighbour was here to say something was wrong with my rooster, Rollerskates.

I ran out to the run to find him dead. Completely inexplicable! He was absolutely fine. In spectacular condition. No sign of anything wrong at all.

Absolutely heartbreaking!

Luckily enough. We have just hatched 4 of his babies so he will live on in them.

Young bantam rooster I raised from a baby chick and really liked

by Timothy
(Sunset, Louisiana )

My little bb red bantam rooster that I raised from a baby chick. I really liked him and he was getting really pretty.

I loved that little rooster and he had a heart attack in my hands today and died. All I did was pick him up in my hands. It really sent me into shock and depression. I've never had anything like that happen to me before.

He had a good, healthy, peaceful life with his hens and always plenty of food and water all the time. It's just very heart breaking to me that this has happened.

Hector

by Janice
(UK)

Hector was my first born. I taught him to drink then feed. He was a Light Sussex rooster and grew into a very big, handsome boy.

He would come with me when I put the ponies out and would follow me everywhere. He would come in and snuggle on the settee with me and watch TV.

He loved travelling and would often come out in the car when we went shopping. When we would go and visit my aunt and uncle I always had to take my dogs with us as they loved dogs, and Hector would come too.

He came with us to the young farmers' show, not to be shown but just for the day out. He loved it.

When he died I was so upset. He was my buddy, always with me. I couldn't beat the thought of burying him in the ground so I had him to the pet crematorium and had his ashes put in a lovely teardrop urn that sits on the mantle by the TV.

He was 13 years old and I miss him.