Freddy

by Roy
(Liberal Kansas )

I had a bay chicken named Freddy and he was sick, so my grandma made him feel better. But I made a mistake and drowned him.

I punished myself by making myself feel really bad. My dad came and I cried in his arms telling him it's all my fault.

He tried to make me feel better but it didn't work.

I will always remember Freddy in my heart.

Comments for Freddy

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It's okay to be sad but don't punish your self
by: Anonymous

You sound Young. Don't beat yourself up over it - it's very sad, but through it I'm sure you'll learn something.

The best thing that you can do for your chicken is to not only remember them but learn from the experience and use that experience to be that much better with your next chicken.

I posted a story here about my chicken, Bock Bock, who we lost from being egg bound. I didn't know about this before it happened and it was very hard for me and my wife since there's something you can do for egg bound chickens to save them, but due to our ignorance we lost a very special chicken to us.

However, from that loss we learn something we learned that if a younger bird who lays eggs regularly stops laying eggs they may be egg bound and becoming egg bound can kill them within 48 hours.

So now, we keep an eye on the rest of our flock and if we notice this we can do something about it and we can save them.

And that's the gift that Bock Bock gave us, the knowledge of this and the ability to prevent it from happening to our other chickens.

As long as you can look at it that way it makes it a little bit easier. I hope you're doing better.

Don't Blame Yourself
by: Frank Berenson

As you will read in my story, one of my chicks died because a rock killed him. It was because I left the rock in a spot where it was supposed to be covering a hole, but it slid down and killed the chick. These sort of accidents happen to anyone, no matter how much you try to prevent them. Don't blame yourself, and perhaps get many more chicks next time!

Please don't blame yourself, Roy.
by: Cath

Hi there Roy,

Here's the thing. We all make mistakes. I've made mistakes too. none of us is perfect.

The important thing is that we learn from them so that next time, we can do something different.

You're obviously so upset about Freddy, and you'll always remember him. That means you care about him. Which is a lovely thing about you.

You didn't do this deliberately. You just made a mistake.

Just try to remember Freddy and be kind to yourself. Your dad is right to try to make you feel better.

You sound like a caring person, so be proud of yourself for that.

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For Belle.

by Alison
(Pillemoine, France)

Just a small black chicken, so gutsy with her friend Joséphine, a rather ugly little speckled hen with hardly any comb.

These two were inseparable and in awe of Basil the Orpington cock who looked after them. They lived in a little chalet with a large run.

They were always prolific layers. Belle laid small brown eggs. Always one a day for me. They never went broody so efforts to raise chicks came to nothing.

Dear Basil died suddenly three weeks ago. From??? The chickens were like lost souls. But they had one another.

Then today I found Belle lying dead in the run. Her black feathers still so lovely and bright. So sad.

And poor Joséphine left by herself.

Just writing this has helped. Thank you.

Comments for For Belle.

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Thinking of you
by: Kara

I'm so sorry. I feel your pain.

So sorry for your Loss
by: Kathryn

Oh how I wish i could take your pain away, I'm sorry to hear about your sweet Belle. It's amazing how they can make their way into our hearts 💕. Until we meet them again, they'll be waiting @ the Rainbow 🌈 bridge!

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Copsy

by Sarah
(Devon, UK)

Copsy hatched on 14th May 2020. She was an assisted hatch and very poorly, but she was a fighter.

I syringe fed her the first week until she gained some strength. When she was six weeks old she went outside with her friends. She then had a blockage which I cleared.

There were several beautiful sunny days where Copsy would chase her friends to catch them up. She was tiny but a real little fighter. She was happy.

Yesterday in the coop she had a funny turn but recovered enough to spend another day with her friends. This morning she ate her breakfast with everyone else although she was very delicate.

This evening I found Copsy passed away on the coop floor. I tried my best Copsy. Rest in peace dear. You were loved and cherished.

Love Mummy xxxx

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For Copsy
by: Jill ( Lilly- my gentle girl)

Doesn't matter how long you have them for, they take your heart and break a piece off when they leave us.

She was obviously loved for her short life and I understand the loss only too well.

Copsy
by: Sarah

Thank you so much Cath, I'm crying 💗Copsy was buried earlier today.

She gave me a purpose. I had surgery in March for possible Ovarian cancer, but my results were clear. I hatched the chicks for something to do during recovery and the Covid pandemic.

When I found Copsy passed away in the coop she had a happy look on her face, bless her heart. I'm glad she was outside and free with her friends who she hatched with.

I love chickens. I called her Copsy as she was a Copper Maran. She helped me and I miss her.

So sorry for your loss.
by: Cath

Copsy was a fighter, and you gave her a good chance. Sadly, lots of chicks who have to be helped to hatch remain quite weak.

But in her short life she was happy, and she did not suffer.

RIP Copsy. You will be missed.

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Pepper

by Nilein
(NT, Australia )

It was a black chicken and it was the first I ever got.

About 5 month ago it was unable to stand up and it got worse gradually. We found that it was paralysed because it had eaten something.

However we gave him medicated feed and cared for him and about 3 weeks ago he got better. He started walking and moving around.

Today his head was out on the ground and he was barely blinking. He didn't eat or drink. I had to feed him and make him drink.

I let him rest and when I got back he was dead.

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So sorry for your loss.
by: Cath

I'm so sorry for your sad loss, Nilein. You obviously did everything you could to help Pepper, and he tried his best to fight his illness.

It sounds as though he was just not able to fight any more.

Thinking of you.

Cath.

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Reggie

by Ann
(London)

This week's update. Tomorrow Reggie would have been 9 weeks old but we found him dead yesterday.

We spend some time with them the evening before and we were feeding them food from our hand, they were getting so familiar with us. In AM he was dead.

We have no idea what happened but the most likely case is that he got pecked on although there were no signs of struggle or blood.

Sigma has been however pecking on chicks but they were too fast and always escaping her and Pi the mother hen was protecting them if it was too aggressive. Maybe she missed it.

We have a coop cam but of course between 9-AM it didn’t record anything so we can’t be sure. It was not too cold or hot, there was no way any predator got in, it could’ve been a disease but we would have seen that they are not well before.

We don’t know for sure but it seems that Pi was preventing Sigma from going into the coop last evening, I think to probably protect the other chick or the chick is ill too and they didn’t want to be near it however they seem to be ok being around it during the day so...

I’m sad. Life is fragile and Mother Nature is a b*%^*.

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I'm so sorry...
by: Cath

Hi Ann,

I'm so terribly sorry about Reggie. He was a lovely chicken. It's always so sad when we lose one of our own.

Sometimes there just seems no rhyme nor reason.

Thinking of you in your sad loss.

Cath.

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Our beloved Emma

by Bianca
(Sycamore IL)

Our beloved Emma Vogel

Our beloved Emma Vogel

Emma was a lavender Orpington. Emma was gray in color, didn’t quite grow her comb, yet, and never got to lay an egg. She loved her flock, and treats.

My sons and I loved Emma very much. She leaves behind 9 other lavender Orpingtons.

My husband forgot to count the 10 chickens before putting them to bed. She was left out, in the run. We have no idea if she was alive or dead before he locked the coop door, because he didn’t check on the run afterwards, to be sure no chicken was missed.

These fragile little lives depend on us. One casual action can mean their life. 💔 We suspect she died of a heart attack, away from her flock.

I can’t imagine how scared she must have been, what animals taunted her through the construction mesh how lonely she must have felt.

My heart is broken.

Rest In Peace, sweet lady Emma. We love and miss you so much.

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Thank you
by: Bianca

Thank you, ladies. Every life I care for is so important to me, I mourn every loss on our farm. My husband really was innocent in the matter. It was a tough lesson, but as I said before, there was no telling if sweet Emma had passed before her bed time.

I am so grateful your crazy lady bird was found safely, perched in a tree. Thanks for the thoughtful replies.

What a sweet site to honor our girls.

My Own Experience
by: Frank Berenson

Something like this happened to me quite a few weeks ago, when I didn't count well our adult hens because it was unusually dark outside.

It turned out I had forgotten to count the craziest one in the group who is always doing chicken screaming and is utterly annoying. The next morning, I found out horrified that I was missing one hen.

After spending hours looking, I found the hen perching in a peach tree. They have a very large, but very well fenced area, so I guess this protected her from raccoons (I have seen some pesky ones eating our dogs' dog food).

Since this is a very crazy hen we are dealing with, she is not afraid of anything.

I am so sorry to hear about your loss, and hope that your hen is happy eating worms and bugs (and apples?) up above.

RIP Emma.
by: Cath

What a lovely hen Emma was! Such a beautiful colour, and Orpingtons are so delightful.

I'm so sorry to hear about her untimely death, Bianca. We all make mistakes and I'm sure your husband is sad that he forgot to count all the chickens into the coop.

All we can do is learn from our mistakes, and know that while she was with you, Emma had a wonderful life. she was loved.

RIP lovely Emma. You are missed.

Cath.

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Peggy

by Rosemary
(Oxford)

Peggy in our kitchen

Peggy in our kitchen

We sadly lost Peggy before she reached her first birthday.

She had been broody and had lost a lot of weight. We tried our best to keep feeding her and getting her to drink and just as she seemed to be getting better, she died suddenly one night.

She was a Golden Brahma and very beautiful - she had the sweetest nature and we miss her enormously.

She is irreplaceable and we will always remember her.

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So Sorrry
by: Frank Berenson

I'm sorry to hear that. When our hens go broody, we just do what my great grandmom used to do, give them a good bath, dry them gently using a towel, and then let them free.

Perhaps your hen was not getting enough nutrition. Hope your hen is happy above re-killing plants, eating favorite bugs and plenty of treats up above.





RIP Peggy
by: Cath

I'm so sorry to hear about your loss, Rosemary. Peggy was a beautiful hen. She was loved and she had the run of your kitchen!

Thinking of you in your loss.

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Hey hey

by Jennifer
(Baton Rouge Louisiana )

2 1/2 years ago on Valentine's Day my boyfriend brought home 6 baby chicks. We had nothing ready for these babies, but that changed quickly. Out of the 6 baby chicks, there was a rooster that I named Antonio.

My "girls" started laying eggs within a short time. Oh the chicken pen grew and changed and they have been loved and pampered everyday. They enjoy all of the goodies like frozen fruit during these hot July days in Louisiana.

I go out to their pen several times a day for various chores but mainly to check their water. This morning everyone was great.

I went out again at noon....everyone was fine...went out this evening and sadly found one of my girls had died. Suddenly. Just like that. She's the second one that I lost in the last 3 months with no obvious illness, no weight loss or change of habits and no warning.

So I feel pretty bummed about it and of course question myself.

If you give me something to love and care for ... with a heart beat....well I guess it's only natural to feel this sadness.

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Advice
by: Frank Berenson

I am so sorry to hear that. Perhaps it was sudden chicken death syndrome, something I have read about, and hope that it never happens to my chickens.

Another cause could be dehydration. During the hot July month here at Nebraska, I have to constantly keep watch over those hens to make sure they drink water. They detest clean water, but love muddy water. If there is no muddy water, they won't drink clean water unless I dip their beaks in it.

It is important to monitor them, and I have even ordered a video camera online to spy if they are drinking water.

My piece of advice is to monitor them, and feed them lots of foods that hydrate. I sometimes feed them raw onions as those hydrate really well, just make sure not to feed them too much just in case there's an issue.

So sorry for your loss.
by: Cath

I'm so sorry to hear about HeyHey, Jennifer. You're so right - we love and care for chickens and losing one is a wrench. You've lost two recently, and that's even harder.

In the end, all we can say is that while they were with us, they were happy and well looked after. Sometimes, chickens do just die for no obvious reason.

Thinking of you.

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We'll remember you dear chick

by Frank Berenson
(Nebraska)

Today, 7/23/2020, one of our 7 chicks died. He was a lovely silver laced chick that was 1 month old.

He was growing like weeds, and was one of the largest in the group. Unfortunately, a rock fell on the poor fellow while he was digging for worms.

Just 6 chicks left now, sigh.

We'll remember you dear chick! Farewell I guess then. My other two chicks died because of coccidiosis.

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Thank you!
by: Frank Berenson

Thank you very much for your kind regards, my other chicks are doing fine and are growing fast (we already have some other 6 grownup hens).

We got our hens last year when they were chicks, but one died because one of our dogs killed the fellow. His name was Bronco, which was my favorite rhode island red chicken. He was very much like this one that was killed by the rock.

I guess tragedies happen no matter how much we try to keep our dear pets safe, but at least us chicken owners try our best to keep our chickens happy and healthy as much as possible.




So sad!
by: Cath

I'm so sorry for your losses, Frank. That's very hard to take, especially such a tragic end for your last little one.

Thinking of you.

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Freddie’s memories

by Kristin
(Woburn ma)

I got Fred as a baby just a week old and had him for not even 2 yrs. he was very aggressive the only one that could get near him was my husband.

But I enjoyed him so much even just from afar watching him with his girls.

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RIP Fred.
by: Cath

He was certainly a very handsome rooster, Kristin, and being aggressive was just protecting his ladies, I guess.

RIP Fred. You are missed.

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Miss Orange, Big Bird and Duckie

by Marshall Farm
(Camarillo CA, USA)

All three of these Buff Orpingtons were the best girls. Ms.Orange was our first and she laid several double yolk eggs for us in her short lifetime.

Our beautiful Big bird did the same. However she was picked up a couple times and dropped by a hawk and was never the same.

Duckie was the chicken that clucked like a duck-quack! I believe she was egg bound after a molt but not sure because she was so beautiful.

It was hard to tell after inspection and it was heartbreaking.

To our loving beauties, all gone too soon, RIP. Thank you for the joy!🧡🙏💛🙏🧡

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Thank you for the joy!
by: Cath

I love that sentiment - "thank you for the joy". It's so sad when we lose any of our flock. All we can do is know they were well cared for and happy while they were with us, and remember the joy they brought.

RIP Miss Orange, Big Bird and Duckie. You are missed.

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RIP Chrissie

by Deb H
(Vancouver, BC)

Chrissie and her friends bobbing for blueberries

Chrissie and her friends bobbing for blueberries

Chrissie was a one year old white Leghorn - one of three girls I bought from a commercial farmer three months ago.

They are my first chickens and I have totally fallen in love with them - their fluffy behinds, their beautiful white plumage, their funny way of racing around, and their love of blueberries and cherries and basically any food.

Chrissie was top of the pecking order but she didn’t grow as much as the other two and yesterday I realized she was really sick. I let them out to free range while I watch them in the evenings and give them treats then give them oats by hand to get them back in the coop.

Last night, Chrissie just came and lay at my feet and I could tell she was very ill. Today, the vet said she had something seriously wrong with her liver and heart and said there was nothing we could do, so we had to put her down.

I’m worried the other two will be sad and I feel very sad myself, as well as touched by how much she trusted me at the end. Leghorns are known as flighty and hard to tame, but she was the friendliest of the three, and last night it felt as though she wanted to be close to me for comfort.

I did everything I could and now I guess all that’s left to do is thank you, Chrissie, for the yummy eggs and all the happiness I’ve had these past three months of the pandemic sitting watching you.

AI’ll miss you. ❤️🐓❤️

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A moving memorial.
by: Cath

I'm so sorry to hear about Chrissie, Deb. Thank you for writing such a touching tribute to her.

You're right, Leghorns can be flighty and hard to tame, and the fact that she wasn't means that she was a very special chicken.

RIP, Chrissie.

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