Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Scrambles83]

I agree. They aren’t livestock to me, they are my pets.
Hubby and I just buried Dorothy today. I found her dead in the coop under the roost. I have no idea what happened. I examined her and she is perfectly normal except she is dead.
I couldn’t believe my eyes when I walked in the coop and saw her lying there.
As you can imagine I am really depressed.
She was going to be a year old in May.
Dorothy
View attachment 2593907

I’m so sorry you lost Dorothy... especially so suddenly

 

[LozzyR]

What a wonderful tax.

I have been thinking about what you said regarding you husband not liking how upset you get when something happens to one. It is kind of the mirror image to my situation.

Mrs BY Bob did not like how upset I was when Patsy passed in my arms. She actually told me if I was going to be that upset over a chicken there would be no more new ones. Because of this, as I reflect back now, I grieved for Maleficent in private, not in front of her. Thankfully I had my friends here to help.

I recognize that it is hard for our loved ones to watch us be so sad. For me though the depth of the sadness is related to the depth of the joy an attachment to them has brought us. I believe that if one has not experienced great joy, then great sorrow does not come. All should rejoice that we have been able to experience such wonderful connections. We should also not be shamed for showing our emotions.

My brother has chickens and the last time one passed his wife was broken up. He called me about it and made the mistake of saying "my gosh it was just a chicken".

They are as much a member of my family as any cat or dog has ever been.

I think that you should push back on your husband. Why should your joy be limited because he doesn't want to deal with you being upset? Instead help him to understand that grieving is a good thing. It means their life had meaning to you. What is more special than that?

You put that so beautifully, Bob. No-one should ever be shamed for emoting, especially grief. I’m glad my hubby doesn’t shame me for being upset when we lose one our girls, he’s very supportive (except when he’s griping about how much cheese we go through!)

 

[LozzyR]

I agree. They aren’t livestock to me, they are my pets.
Hubby and I just buried Dorothy today. I found her dead in the coop under the roost. I have no idea what happened. I examined her and she is perfectly normal except she is dead.
I couldn’t believe my eyes when I walked in the coop and saw her lying there.
As you can imagine I am really depressed.
She was going to be a year old in May.
Dorothy
View attachment 2593907

I’m so sorry Kat.

 

[BY Bob]

You put that so beautifully, Bob. No-one should ever be shamed for emoting, especially grief. I’m glad my hubby doesn’t shame me for being upset when we lose one our girls, he’s very supportive (except when he’s griping about how much cheese we go through!)

Thanks. You made me smile.

 

[featherhead007]

For the loss of your beautiful bird

 

[Scrambles83]

What a wonderful tax.

I have been thinking about what you said regarding you husband not liking how upset you get when something happens to one. It is kind of the mirror image to my situation.

Mrs BY Bob did not like how upset I was when Patsy passed in my arms. She actually told me if I was going to be that upset over a chicken there would be no more new ones. Because of this, as I reflect back now, I grieved for Maleficent in private, not in front of her. Thankfully I had my friends here to help.

I recognize that it is hard for our loved ones to watch us be so sad. For me though the depth of the sadness is related to the depth of the joy an attachment to them has brought us. I believe that if one has not experienced great joy, then great sorrow does not come. All should rejoice that we have been able to experience such wonderful connections. We should also not be shamed for showing our emotions.

My brother has chickens and the last time one passed his wife was broken up. He called me about it and made the mistake of saying "my gosh it was just a chicken".

They are as much a member of my family as any cat or dog has ever been.

I think that you should push back on your husband. Why should your joy be limited because he doesn't want to deal with you being upset? Instead help him to understand that grieving is a good thing. It means their life had meaning to you. What is more special than that?

Just beautifully put, Bob.
I honestly wasn’t expecting to get as upset as I did with Penny (I should have known better, I’m a very emotional beast as I’ve said) but it all broke on me so fast, and that feeling of helplessness when she was sick and it was obvious she wasn’t going to get better was so just overwhelming. I think I didn’t realise how connected to them I was.
I sat with her for days and sobbed and apologised to her for not being able to help.

You’re correct, it is hard for our loved ones to see us so upset.
I did defend my right to him to be sad at her loss, that to me she was a pet that I loved and hence why I got the new girls without objection once I saw how lonely Bokky was (and once I was ready to add more feathered babies).
He knows I have a big heart and I would heal once I had grieved. He may not share my levels of compassion but he does understand that it is who I am and I can’t be anything else.

With Bok I feel more prepared if/when the time comes, but I will still be very upset and grieve. I’m trying to be strong in front of Vi at the moment; she feels things deeply like I do which is a good thing but exhausting at her age so until the time comes I won’t force the heartbreak on her.
But like you with Mal, maybe it is also subconsciously shielding my feelings of worry and potential grief from him too

Sorry about the novel, but I like that I can talk to you guys on here.

I know when Scrambles, our dog, passes I will have to take bereavement leave from work. It will destroy me, he’s been my best buddy for 11&1/2 years, but I can’t think about it because then I upset myself

 

[Scrambles83]

Scrambles, I love your beautiful chickens. Way cool chickens and Ruby it seams is very picky

That was @micstrachan’s girls but thanks anyway

 

[micstrachan]

Most hens lay more the first year and drop off a little. I expect she will slow down as she reaches 1 year old.

 

[micstrachan]

Most hens lay more the first year and drop off a little. I expect she will slow down as she reaches 1 year old.

Yes, of course. I know that, Silly.

 

[RoyalChick]

That's very good. About 180 a year.

I am certainly happier with that than the older Princesses who seem like almost-every-day kinda gals. It worries me every day!