Farewell Werner, the magnificent Brown Leghorn

by Alex
(London)

There was a certain intensity to being around Werner that I cannot quite describe.

I will miss him dearly now that Boba, my dog sadly mistook friend for foe one night.

I will see you again Werner.

My boy

by Kim

I want to start out by saying I lost my oldest son in 14 at 21. Now that being said, March of last year we went to Tractor Supply and the rest is beautiful memories of r o z i e.

He was funny, he was my best friend, he talked dance, he was a booty, but he was my booty.

He was taken by a hawk 2 days ago and I have hurt. The hurt is so much like when I lost Tyler.

R o z i e – laugh with me – he rode to town in the car, he had his own seat!

Going to make a memorial because I don't have him to lay to rest. Rozie was my lead rooster. He was a black silkie, and he was one of a kind. He was always happy.

I will see you again my boy.

Cucurucu The leader

by Jackie
(New York)

Our Rooster died today. He was the leader of our other roosters and hens. He was their protector and we loved him dearly.

I searched and searched and nothing was wrong with him, no signs of any illness or anything.

But I saw your video and believe he could have died out of sudden chicken death.

We will always have Cucurucu in our memories.

Henrietta

by Jilska
(Melbourne, Australia)

I have always wanted chickens. Four years ago we moved to a property which gave me the opportunity to have chickens of my own. I bought six chickens and named them all: Henrietta, Blanche, Mavis, Stella, Ginger and Scarlett.

Henrietta was very friendly and gentle right from the start. She loved her cuddles and would melt in my arms. I knew I should not have favourites but she was my hen.

For the last twelve months she has been feeling unwell. She became quiet and started to loose weight. We made two trips to the vet which cost me a lot of money but she had to be treated like any other pet I owned. She was not just a chicken, she was my Henrietta.

Yesterday I knew she was not well. I watched her all day and by evening I knew she was ill. I brought her in last night and put her in the cat basket and put her in my bedroom. I kissed her goodnight and when I woke this morning she was gone.

I will miss you dear girl.

She was not just a chicken, she was my Henrietta.

Lady Grey

by Lee Hinan
(United Kingdom)

Just a a beautiful gentle chicken who just reared a most beautiful rooster a a Brahma hen, not her own but turned out to be the most wonderful mother.

She died tonight so suddenly, no warning. She was my favourite so it makes it so much harder.

Lovely Layla

by Deborah Roberts
(Shropshire )

Layla was the prettiest little Bantam, she had the sweetest personality and was adored by all of us.

Clara my beautiful white hen.

by Janet
(France)

I was given a chicken shed and 3 chickens for my 80th birthday. It was all new to me and I had a lot to learn.

They were 3 very different personalities. Clara was so gentle and much bigger than the other two. She died last Friday 28th January and I don't know why. She collapsed suddenly and never stood up again.

She had been off her food for 2/3 days and stopped coming to me to be fed by hand. Now the coop and surrounding park are so empty with only 2 and it's all not the same.

Can't seem to get over it. Haven't been able to tell any of my family as I can't bear to think of anyone saying or even thinking "well it was just a chicken."

For Lupita

by Tenaya Martinez
(San Francisco, Ca. )

My beautiful little Americauna had just turned four years old, we had yet to celebrate her birthday but on January 26, 22, a day that seemed like any other day a hawk came into the yard and poor Lupita was not able to duck for cover in time.

Lupe was not the most loving girl, she really did not like to be picked up or touched but when she was ready she would come to sit with me or climb into my lap for a few minutes to show that she really did love me.

She was the quietest of my three hens and actually looked like she was mean but was very sweet in her own way.

She loved to eat which included my dahlias and anything else she could get into in the yard and recently had developed an appetite for peanuts in the shell and learned to crack them open from watching the blue jay crack them open. She was a hoot.

She is very much missed by her two sisters, Rosie and Conchita who are grieving her loss along with me. We miss her so much as she left us too soon.

Rest in peace my beautiful little Lupita Bonita.

Our amazing Roo…

by Amy Morgan
(Rice, Virginia)

Our Roo passed peacefully in his favorite spot under the heat lamp. He was 8 years old and my favorite out of all our chickies.

He would come running when I called and eat fruit and meal worms from my hand. People thought he was so cool! When they would see him come running and being so friendly, they were surprised as roosters don’t exactly have the best reputation.

I know it might seem silly to be so sad over a rooster but I loved my guy. He was old and arthritic and his tail feathers long gone.

But, he was still a spunky guy despite his age.

Periscope

by Kasia
(Connecticut )

We got 6 chicks in the box and every time I came to see them, this one was sticking her head up like a periscope.

She was following me, coming first for the treats or just because I called. I had her sit on my lap and we were just watching the world.

She was a leader, all other chicks were looking up to her. Even my cats were respectful toward her.

I visited them every morning and evening with a treat. She had a good life and was my joy.

Today my husband has noticed that Periscope is a bit lethargic so he brought her to the coop. When I got home he said go and check on Perry, she was weird looking. I went to the coop and there she was… laying on the floor.

I started crying and Called my husband. We could not believe she was gone. I know it’s weird but I am heartbroken.

We bury her in the compost pile to let her return to nature. I miss her. I never thought I could get attached to the chicken but Periscope proved me wrong.

To all of you who lost a chicken - I am sorry that you have lost a friend and hope they run free, wherever they are now.

Louise

by Heather
(Calhan, CO)

Louise had a short, but entertaining life. She was one of eleven in a surprise winter hatch.

She spent her short life with her momma hen and her hatch-mates until she was injured. Then she came to live with me. But I couldn't help her and to ease her pain, she moved on.

She'll be back in a better body, I have no doubt.

Little Miss Marple

by Chris
(Wallabadah NSW Australia)

We were/are new to chicken rearing and over the time of owning chickens we have lost quite a few.

Most of our girls are Isa browns….”because that’s what you got” but after 4 years of having chickens we have decided not to have Isa’s again, not because they aren’t a lovely chicken, they are.

No the reason is these poor girls are bred to lay their little lives away and if they don’t die of old age ( never seen) they they will most surely die from egg yolk peritonitis.

In the picture is little Miss Marple, she is almost 3, she, I’m told is “just old” ( in terms of a chicken life ) she became thin, wobbly on her little legs and now as seen in photo, is sitting inside our home waiting to fly to the big coop in the sky.

She won’t eat or drink, she just wants to sleep. So by the time this is published I think our little girl will have gone to chicken heaven.

RIP sweet little Marple. Thank you for being the dear little chicken you are. Xox

Morgh

by Meysam
(Iran)

7 years ago a tiny black angel came to my sad life. She was kind and always beside me. Every day I got up, I saw her beautiful eyes and spoke to her...

But now she's gone to heaven. My house is dark and silent now and I see her empty place and cry. I can't stop crying, it's sooooo sad. She broke my heart by her death.

I hope I see her in my dream tonight. Birds are angels. Nobody can understand how lonely and heartbroken I am since she's left my dark life....