Ode to Old Hens... Pictures of the Seniors in Our Flock

[Ursuline Chick]

So sorry to hear about your hens. At least you gave them good, long lives.

 

[speckledhen]

I think we're about to lose a real oldster. Our splash Ameraucana, Snow, who is 14 years old, is acting lethargic and not at all herself. She was such a beauty in her youth, even had some breeder on Ebay steal her picture from BYC to sell their eggs. She is so attached to my husband and him to her, this will be a hard one to lose. I have an EE hen who is also 14 so I think I'll be losing her as well before winter is over. They're just ancient.
Snow from 10 years ago:

 

[Ursuline Chick]

I am so sorry. I would try to get by, by focusing the time you still have and remembering that you have given hens 14 wonderful years of love and the best life the could have had. Thoughts and prayers for all of you. 14 years, what a wonderful long life for a chicken

 

[speckledhen]

Well, Snow made a liar out of me. I moved her to another cage where she could see out the door when it was open and others were outside in the pen and she perked up. She isn't ready to go just yet!

 

[speckledhen]

Snow passed away this morning, just stopped breathing. She was 14 years 3 months old. June, my Easter Egger that was given to me as a gift at 8 weeks old (by a friend with a very healthy flock or I would not have accepted her!), is the same age and she can't be far behind judging by how much she has slowed down in the past month.

 

[cluckmecoop7]

R.I.P Snow

 

[speckledhen]

This thread has been languishing here, probably because my hens seem to live so darn long. June, my EE, passed away soon after Snow, lived to just over 14 1/2 years. Now, my oldest hens are Druscilla, my last remaining pure Marvin Stukel Barred Plymouth Rock, and Mina, my last Belgian D'Anver. Both are 12 years old. Dru is 100% crippled from arthritis on one of her legs and has been for quite some time, but she is so strong and still gets pleasure from being in the sunshine and watching others in the barn. Mina has some sort of leg issue, not sure if it's an energy or she had a mini-stroke and lost some use of her right side entirely. It's progressing and neither will be around for much longer. The next ones are my late Atlas's daughters, Zara and Athena, who are 8 years old. Mina and Dru live together to keep each other company since their respective groups have all passed on now.

 

[speckledhen]

Druscilla, one of my quality Barred Plymouth Rocks, just passed on tonight. She was 12 years old and very crippled. I'm happy she doesn't have to fight anymore, bless her heart. But that leaves my 12 yr old Belgian D'Anver hen, Mina, alone once again. I have an injured/healing Brahma hen who cannot be with a big rooster any longer (almost tore her wing off somehow) and if Bonnie and Mina could get along, they could be together in the same pen. After Mina, the next oldest living are two Barred Rock hen sisters related to the one who just died, both 8 years old.

 

[Ursuline Chick]

Druscilla, one of my quality Barred Plymouth Rocks, just passed on tonight. She was 12 years old and very crippled. I'm happy she doesn't have to fight anymore, bless her heart. But that leaves my 12 yr old Belgian D'Anver hen, Mina, alone once again. I have an injured/healing Brahma hen who cannot be with a big rooster any longer (almost tore her wing off somehow) and if Bonnie and Mina could get along, they could be together in the same pen. After Mina, the next oldest living are two Barred Rock hen sisters related to the one who just died, both 8 years old.

I am so sorry for your loss. Drusciillia sounds like a lovely girl, who had a great life.

 

[speckledhen]

Thank you. We did our best to take care of her. She slowly lost the use of one leg over time from arthritis. She was a beauty in her prime, a superior quality Barred rock. Some of these hens are just so special. I know she lived much longer than most hens (not my longest lived though-that title goes to an Easter Egger named June, who died at the beginning of the year at 14 1/2) We'll miss that big gal. Here she is as a young hen.