Ethel will be missed

[tammyd57]

My hen, Ethel, passed away today. She was 20 months old. I found her when I went out to get eggs this morning. She was on the nest and looked like she was just sitting there to lay an egg. When she didn't look up or move when I came near I realized she was dead.
Ethel had several go-rounds with prolapse, that I was able to fix. This time I didn't discover it in time to save her.
She laid a lovely medium sized egg every day that was the same color as my coffee with cream. Her mother was my friend's SLW hen and her dad was a black Cochin. She had the prettiest blue laced feathers. She was the only one of my hens that didn't go broody this year, but one of my BO hens hatched out 5 of Ethel's babies for us. So I have 4 pullets and a cockerel that are her babies. The cockerel and one pullet are black, 2 pullets are splash, and the last one is silvery gray with a light head. Very pretty babies. I'm so glad I have them now that Ethel is gone.
I placed her body at the back of our property near the woodlot. Hopefully something will be hungry tonight and make use of her remains.
My chickens are not pets, they are livestock and they have a job to do here. BUT I do care very much for each and every one of them and it does hurt when one passes.

I'll miss you Ethel.

 

[3chimama]

I am very sorry to read this. Take care.

 

[pennie1]

May Ethel rest in peace. At least you have some of her babies.

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

RIP Ethel. May you have nothing but lovely memories of her. She knows that you were a good chicken mama.

 

[damselfish]

Sorry to hear about Ethel, she sounds like she was a very pretty girl. We do just as you do, we have a particular spot in the woods where the occasional dead chicken or guinea is placed. We lay them out nicely, thank them, and leave them for someone else's needs.

 

[speckledhen]

I'm so sorry about Ethel. Was thinking about naming one of my girls Ethel since I had a very beloved Aunt Ethel myself. So, I'll name one of my girls for your sweet Ethel. Sometimes, their reproductive malfunctions just can't be fixed. I'll be euthanizing one of my own today due to that.

 

[gritsar]

 

[chickenzoo]

So very sorry, it always is sad to lose a beloved girl, at least she had a happy life.

 

[tammyd57]

Thank you very much everyone.

SpeckledHen: My Ethel was named after my own Aunt Ethel, It was so funny at the time, because Ethel the hen's feathers were the same color as Aunt Ethel's hair.