To my beloved rooster

My husband found our beloved pet rooster dead this morning, we think it was a heart attack. He was a handsome huge Dark Brahma, 5 years old, and I cry as I write this. Just last night he was sleeping in my lap before going to bed. We have two more roosters so Grandao ( means big guy) has his own private room in the coop, complete with a fan.

He loved to spend the day with my dog, and when my husband or I came home, Grandao would run to us, all talkative, po po po po po, finding worms and seeds for us. He loved to be picked up, so funny, such a big rooster, and loved to be on our laps, and have his face scratched. I sat with him just last night, scratching his face, him purring to me...

Nobody understands why we're so desolated by his death - he's just a chicken they say... he was a wonderful sentient being, full of joy, loved life, loved exploring, loved protecting his girls. He would protect them from hawks - he once faced one and was about to attack but the hawk flew away. He loved finding goodies for his girls. He would catch raisins and bread in the air, he was so special... he was loved and will be missed so bad...

My Favorite Rooster

by Promise Joy Stephens
(Cherryville, NC, USA)

A few years ago, my mom bought five black giant chicks. I was given one. William Clark, or Clark as I called him, became my baby.

I would come out to feed them and he would come up to me and he'd let me carry him all over the place. He would ride in my bike basket. He'd bring his ladies up to the house for a treat. When I called "chick-chick-chickens!" He'd come hopping up to me.

Last year, while we were vacationing, my friend called to tell me that Clark was lying on his side by the barn panting. I was 100-miles away so there was nothing I could do but wait. An hour later he died.

He was only three years old.

Herman guering

by Beverly
(Hudson, NY)

My brother had some hens and a beautiful rooster, whom I named Herman Guering. He really became a good friend. I would feed the hens and Herman crackers and talk with them. He would listen and then one day he was gone. Shot for scratching a car. I was so hurt. I enjoyed Herman so very much. I still feed the hens crackers and they do coo to me but I miss my Herman Guering.

Lord Byron

Lord Byron, my precious rooster, died today. He was a young, friendly, and handsome rooster who made me smile everyday. Lord Byron used to crow all the time, in the morning, in the evening, at midnight. I loved listening to him crow, no matter what time it was. He was a gentle rooster, always welcoming and friendly. I miss him!

Claire, my so loved house rooster

by Suzanne
(Québec, Canada)

He was supposed to be a laying hen when I brought him home. 6 months later I heard cocorico!!!

He lived with my rescued pigeon and turtle dove for almost a year. They were a cute boys’ club. I don't know why he left so quickly for no apparent reason. He was a Chantecler (Canadian) and seemed so healthy. My heart is still broken. Almost 2 years now... Bye Bye Claire.

Daisy - a much loved rooster memorial.

I will never forget the day Daisy came into my life .

Daisy had a broken leg and was given up by the pet shop to me as a chick. She was not expected to survive the night, but she did and I named her Daisy.

Later I find out it was a boy, not a girl!

The thing is that this chicken changed my life. I used to called him my love, because of how much I loved him.

Unfortunately, since he was disabled , could not walk and do all the things that chickens love to do, his body started failing him and he passed away at almost six months of age.

In a way he took my heart with him. I have cried every single day for a month. I loved that chicken so much I feel I lost a son not a pet chicken .

Thank you Daisy for being in my life, I love you .

Archie

by Hazel
(Shropshire )

Archie was a magnificent 2.5 year old white Sussex rooster.

He has had a good free range life but with safe and warm accommodation each night. He was beautiful.

We have a mix of birds, 4 magnificent ant inquisitive geese, some funny and loveable ducks and Archie's own girlfriends. We have recently had 3 fox attacks where Archie survived but we have lost 3 girls and replaced these with 3 more for him.

The last few days he and the girls have not re-entered their shed as usual, but have taken positions high off the ground and we have had to encourage them down to go to bed.

Tonight, before it was dark, and on a day when we have been present much of the time around the garden, and seen him doing his usual stuff, we found him dead.

We are devastated, more so because we missed any signs, if there were any, and certainly missed the event itself, even though we had seen him less than an hour earlier. He was fine, and then he was no more.

RIP Archie. I can't cope with not knowing why. X

Hayes our funny Roo

by Alaina
(Oceanside)

We thought we had 3 hens but surprise Hayes turned out to be a rooster.

We already loved him but couldn't have a rooster in the city. We were in the process of finding him a new home but he left us before we could...maybe he knew. He was happy and healthy up until his last day here on this earth.

WE LOVE YOU HAYES. You were one of a kind.

May 14,2016-October 9, 2016

The great rooster

by Jacob
(Oaxaca)

He was a very gentle rooster. I don't have much else to say. He was very tender. I loved him.

Today when he was outside he suddenly started suffering, it looked like he was choking. He finally died after I tried to make him recover. It surely was a heart attack.

However I felt so helpless. I just couldn't help him. I wish I could have. May he rest in peace. I will always remember him.

Sooty the boy girl

by Lucy
(astralia)

Sooty was a chick I raised from birth and I thought she was a girl.

Sooty was my favorite, she loved me and I loved her. But all the roosters got taken away and Sooty didn't so I'm like yay, Sooty's a girll!

But a few weeks later my other chicken got Mareck's, and we put her down. And then Sooty started crowing and we had to cull him....


R.I.P Sooty

My sweet Wilson

by Reba
(Louisiana)

Always watching me come and go Wilson was such a sweet boy!

He would start crowing at 4 am just to let me know he knew I was awake. When I would come home in the afternoon he would crow just to say hello.

One fateful afternoon I came home to silence. I thought it was because of the heavy rain that my boy was quiet. The rains stopped I went out to give him and the hens their afternoon treat.

I found my boy lying dead and my heart broke. The silence is now deafening. I miss him dearly.

My only hope now lies in the eggs I collected the day before he passed away. They are in an incubator just maybe I will have some of Wilson's chicks soon and he will live on through them.

RIP Wilson.

Dear Henry

by Ann
(Deroche )

This evening we found our dear Henry had passed away.

He will be so very missed. Our dear Henry had a winning character. He was friendly and funny. He was known as "one good looking rooster" by so many. When he heard this he would strut and click even more.

Miss you Henry. RIP.

Red the Rooster and his gal Skip

Our Rooster, Red, was the sweetest Rooster there ever was.

He was a Rhode Island red mix. He was hatched from and incubator in our kitchen by my husband. He was 7 years old and we think was killed by a neighbor's dog.

Red loved my husband, they were buddies. He would come when he was called and my husband petted him and "tucked him in" each night.

He was so good about finding bugs and things for the hens and would also follow us all around like a dog and would come running when he saw us come out of the house. He was the sweetest.

His hen, Skip, is missing and presumed dead. She had a bad leg and couldn't get away from anything very fast. She just skipped around, hence the name.

She was also a sweet chicken. She loved meal worms and would let my kids hold her.

We are going to miss these two chickens so much. It's a sad day at our house.

I never realized we would love our chickens so much.

RIP Red and Skip.

Henry the Wild Rooster

by Denise Wilcox
(Florida)

Five weeks ago today we had a little rooster show up out of nowhere in our yard. We live in a subdivision and have no idea where he came from, other than he showed up.

We fed him daily, made sure he had water, gave him treats and loved him from a distance. He was very skittish but slowly warmed up to us little by little.

We were never able to secure him so all we could do was look out for him every night when he roosted up in a tree in an empty lot next to us. My husband and I would wake up several times through the night and patrol for predators.

This morning he did not come out from his roost though as he did every day, and we eventually found his remains. It looks like he was attacked by a raccoon.

I am so heartbroken, hubby and I have been crying all day for the loss of this timid creature. He brought us so much joy and laughter with his sweet disposition and his attempts at interacting with us.

I am devastated.

Thanks for writing that it is normal to feel like this. I wish we could have saved him. I will always remember him and his cute crow in the mornings demanding food.

You mattered to us in the short time we shared...RIP Henry💕

My Buddy

by Chanda Centofanti
(East Amherst ny)

Buddy was my Rhode Island Red Rooster. He was a year old and so friendly. He had a wonderful personality and loved to be held. I would let him and the other rooster and 3 hens free range in the yard, they were always so happy and healthy.

Every day when I came home from work they would greet me at the driveway by running to me no matter where they were at. At dusk they would go into their coop and go to sleep.

One morning I went to let them out as I do every morning and that's when I realized Buddy didn't want his morning piece of bread. He stayed behind while the others ran out of the coop ready to graze.

Right away I noticed he was acting differently and was having trouble walking. I picked him up and brought him into the garage. He was having diarrhea, not eating and had trouble eating. I stayed by his side all day and tried to make him as comfortable as possible.

Around dinner time his breathing was getting worse, and couldn't get up at all. He took couple of sips of water and that was it.

I went into the house and ate dinner when I came back out he laid down next to me and then started flopping his wings and it looked like he was having a seizure. After doing that for about a 30 seconds he passed away.

I picked him up crying my eyes out I couldn't believe my Buddy was gone. Just 24 hours earlier he was a happy healthy rooster!

I've done so much research on what could have happened and asked a lot of people on my neighborhood that have chickens. Everyone says the same thing - that it just happens sometimes.

I'm still heartbroken over my Buddy and I miss him everyday. Now I just realized a few hours ago my other rooster is showing same symptoms! I really don't know what to do I'm afraid I will get up in the morning and see that he's passed away too. :(

Beaker The Legend

by Sharon
(Petoskey, MI)

Beaker was a rescue from Kindergarten school hatching...he was born later than the other chicks and they picked on him. Then one of the students dropped him on his head. Not an auspicious start.

At 2-3 days old I took him home and fed him, off my finger since he could not hold his head up, he was so weak. He grew stronger. He lived in our upstairs bathtub, in a nesting box for a long time.

Then, one day, I heard a 'crowing' and our little (we hoped) hen turned out to be a rooster. He became another family pet. Raised in the house with our cats and dog. He seemed to have trouble with his eyes; couldn't see well.

It was later confirmed by an animal opthamologist that he was, indeed, totally blind.

Meantime, even though our backyard backs up against a farm, and he was raised as a house pet, a neighbor complained and demanded we get rid of him. Two years of Court battles, much media coverage and folks rallying to the cause gave us both grief and support.

He became something of a media sensation; won 'best story' in the newspaper two years in a row. Went viral...heard from people literally all over the world. A little crippled (that too) blind rooster won the hearts of many, many people. He was even on TV and later interviewed by NPR.

We had little Beaker, a beautiful, sweet banty Americana rooster for 10+ years. Sadly, this New Year's Eve, he passed away. No apparent disease or trauma; just found him on his little box perch (crippled feet; couldn't perch on a horizontal pole).

Head down, he apparently just 'shut down'. We are heartsick. No time for goodbyes, but at least it appeared he did not suffer.

He touched the hearts of so many. Even has his own Facebook page set up by a "Beaker Backer"...quite a guy.

There is much more to his story, but I am tearing up as I write this, so I will sign off.

The Sad Death of Noah Webster and Henry W. Longfellow

by Promise Joy Stephens
(Cherryville, NC, USA)

Very recently something very sad happened. My two roosters, Noah Webster, a silver-laced Brahma, and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, a buff-laced Brahma, died.

We had a very bad storm with the all the electricity going out, huge puddles in the front yard, tree branches breaking.

During the storm my smaller chicken coop was pushed half a foot back, in the process running over an extension cord that was connected to a heat lamp which then busted–in the coop with my 9-week old chicks and an elderly white Cochin. Not one of them was injured.

Don't say "wow, that's amazing!" yet, because the cord popped where the two large Brahmas were taking shelter from the rain under a rabbit hutch.

When the rain stopped, I came out to feed my chickens and Noah and Henry were on their sides, soaking wet and dead.

It was so sad for me, but I'm SO thankful the storm didn't kill my chicks as well.

Mr Mills

by Lesley
(Llandaff)

We bought two 'hens' for our daughters 7 years ago and they grew up to be roosters. They were pets and part of the family.

Mr Mills, originally named Millie, died yesterday. He was 7. He appeared fit and well, but I found him in his home, dead, with Rocky crouched up to him.

He was big and strong and a real character. He roamed and ruled his patch. Our two collies he loved to watch - they are only three.

I know he was loved and cared for, but suddenly the garden seems a sad place.

As the children grew and my husband was not interested I looked after him.

I feel sad and I wonder if I missed something.

Thank you for this site as I felt I wanted somewhere to tell his story as he matters to me.

My beautiful Merle, sleep peacefully

by Stephanie Daniels
(TX)

Merle was a beautiful little guy. I'm not sure what breed he was, but we got him as a chick.

And when we got him, we were SURE he was a she, so "her" name WAS Martha lol.

Eventually though, Martha began crowing and grew long tail feathers and a large comb. So, "she" became Merle.

He was SO pretty, but a total a**hole. Every person who came into the fenced off area would get attacked by Merle, but he knew to leave me alone.

He never produced any chicks in his nearly 2 years of life, but I loved him regardless.

He is missed, terribly.

In memory of Bug, my Silkie Roo

by Jordan Huffman
(Phoenix, Arizona)

He was so attached to me and I to him. He waited for me at the backdoor every day. He was always happy to see me and did a little dance. He came when I called him. He would lay on my chest and sleep.

He was learning, quickly, to play the xylophone. He was sweetly protective of both me and his recent hen girlfriend.

He understood when I told him no about something. He'd stop and he'd look me right in the eye. He had a sweater for winter time.

He was always so chatty. We'd chat back and forth all the time. He rarely crowed. He followed me around the yard. He'd lay on his back so I could rub his tummy and he'd fall asleep. He enjoyed baths and getting blown dried by the hair dryer.

I had learned what all his sounds meant, happy cheeps when he's get his favorite treats, the sound he made when a random bird flew over the yard, hoh hoh hoh hoooooh when he was content.

He loved bread, just like me. He was so snuggly. He was so funny when he would get grumpy and stomp off. He had so much personality.

He was observant and noticed every time I poked my head out the window to check on him in the coop.

We had a very special relationship and a unique bond. We both loved each other. I will always miss him.

Duke the brave rooster. R.I.P

by Emily
(Kilkenny)

We had a young bantam rooster less than a year old .

He loved his 8 hens (two bantams 6 normal) he defends them against every thing.

We also had two dogs who made sure the foxes didn't get to the hens. Unlucky we went on holiday and the dogs were put in kennels. The second night we were away they attacked.

They killed the 6 normal hens Duke (the rooster) put up a great fight but mostly protected the two bantam because he had grown up with them.

The second night the foxes came again. Poor Duke fought to the death to protect his hens.

He lived an honorable lived and will always be remembered. ❤🐓 💔🐔

Ash the best rooster ever

by Hunter
(New Jersey)

Ash was the most loving rooster in the world, he loved to just sit on your lap or shoulder and cuddle into your neck. He was skittish for a rooster, if something dropped with in five feet of him he'd jump and flap even if the hens were calm.

We got him as a chick and he was supposed to be a hen, but that 90 percent accuracy some times goes wrong and he was a happy rooster, the only one in our flock. He easily was the whole family's favorite (even though it feels a bit like picking a favorite child).

We found him listless in his coop in the morning, he'd been fine the day before. running around and eating and drinking like normal. But he died within two hours.

We're not sure what happened but we'll miss him more then anything. He was the best rooster you could ask for and just a loving creature in general.

I won't ever forget him.

King Louis

by Kathleen
(NY)

King Louis was an amazing being. I connected with him in a way I never imagined.

He was always a great rooster protecting his friends and sharing his food. He showed resilience and strength in overcoming the adversity of losing his hens from predators and old age. He loved his ladies and when his the last of his 3 girls passed, respectively Henny, Penny, and his beloved Louise, I sensed he felt a despair like no other.

Together we mourned and he let me comfort him! I told him he had a purpose and that there would be young birds moving in with him someday soon.

The only sentiment that brings any sense of comfort is that he is with his dearest hens and he can relax without any care. I will miss you my King Louis one. Your visits up the path to my house, your dock a doodle, your side step dance, and the times you let me stroke your soft velvety chest.

Thank you for being my friend and neighbor. I'm sorry that I wasn't there to help you from whatever fight you fought. I pray that you weren't in pain. See you on the other side of the rainbow.

All my love.

George, the silkie Mr. Mom

by Rae
(Ottawa, Ontario Canada )

I got George and his mate Gracie from an auction 3 years ago. I didn't know much about silkies at the time, and it was hard to see everything you need to look for in the little box they were in. So, we took a chance and I was thrilled to win the bid.

Over time, the couple moved into the dining room because, as it turned out, George had Merrick's disease. Gracie passed away suddenly after brooding a clutch that didn't hatch. She had stopped eating and I'm positive she was depressed. This left George all alone.

I don't know how old he was, but I let him walk around the house after that, he always went back to his paper where his pen used to be. I didn't realize you could potty train a chicken, but there it was.

George would always wander to the mud room where I was brooding chicks at the time. One day, I found him in the brooder allowing little ones under his wings. The perfect medicine for a lonely widower. He raised two clutches to adulthood and the roosters he raised picked up his nurturing personality.

He was a sweet, gentleman who always protected "mommy" and his babies.

This past March, George died in my arms. His disease progressed but he always ate his favourite green grapes even until the last day.

Losing George was devastating. I can't put into words what he meant to me. He was my buddy, my bodyguard and my friend.

I will never forget my Mr. Mom and consider it an honour that I shared his company, even if it was only for a few short years.

George, if you could read this buddy - thank you for showing me your beautiful heart and for showing me that little hearts love in the biggest way.

Hancho

by kristine
(southern Indiana)

Hancho was our first rooster, a big proud easter egger guy. He survived a coyote attack because he was very smart.

He was a great fella and I miss him every day.

Blacky

by Sherrill
(Austria)

Blacky, 7 months old, Orpington.

We had him when he still just an egg. Then 7 months later, a beautiful black Cock with green tinge in his tail.

He suddenly died in the door of the stall last night. He leaves his 2 brothers behind, I sure they feel the loss just as much as I do.

They where the 3 stooges, always roaming the fields together.

A very said day.