Had to put this old girl down yesterday. She could not walk, could not feed or drink. I just couldn't leave her to suffer, so it had to be done. Six lovely years with her but now she is no more.
We called her Busy Body because she was a "hang around the coop" hen. At first we did not realize that it was her perfect confirmation as a show bird that was her undoing. She had gorgeous plumage and body, fluffy and round with lovely crest. But all her life the feathers that were her best feature also limited her vision. We clipped feathers about her eyes but the feathers below her eyes we always in the way. She never really knew any different way of living so she was a pretty happy. She attended the setting birds, hung out by the water founts and the feed. When ever my wife was in the coop Busy would talk, talk, talk. With me, not so much. In the end she could no longer get around and refused all attempts to feed her.
There is a good lesson in Busy's end for us. What is considered beautiful for a show bird is developed by a long line of genetics that actualy weaken the ability of the animal to thrive. The tufts of feathers about her face, the feathers on her feet, the oversized breast and many other features that seem to please some people are in the end mal adaptive to the animal.
Any way, she will be missed. I am sure many of you have similar experiences. Here is the last image I made of Busy Body
Good by to Busy Body
We called her Busy Body because she was a "hang around the coop" hen. At first we did not realize that it was her perfect confirmation as a show bird that was her undoing. She had gorgeous plumage and body, fluffy and round with lovely crest. But all her life the feathers that were her best feature also limited her vision. We clipped feathers about her eyes but the feathers below her eyes we always in the way. She never really knew any different way of living so she was a pretty happy. She attended the setting birds, hung out by the water founts and the feed. When ever my wife was in the coop Busy would talk, talk, talk. With me, not so much. In the end she could no longer get around and refused all attempts to feed her.
There is a good lesson in Busy's end for us. What is considered beautiful for a show bird is developed by a long line of genetics that actualy weaken the ability of the animal to thrive. The tufts of feathers about her face, the feathers on her feet, the oversized breast and many other features that seem to please some people are in the end mal adaptive to the animal.
Any way, she will be missed. I am sure many of you have similar experiences. Here is the last image I made of Busy Body
Good by to Busy Body
Last edited:
