Handling grief

[charlotte-and-the-bees]

Our Mille Fleur died unexpectedly last night after becoming increasingly ill on Wednesday. It’s our first loss and our hens were pets first and foremost. Any wise words in handling loss? I feel guilty, like I didn’t catch it soon enough and didn’t protect her when she needed me to. I’m just heartbroken.

 

[_-Captain BRM-_]

Just had a chicken disappear yesterday morning. Something must have got her. She was our sweetest chicken and she was lame. She figured out a way to get around and when she ran it was like a little skip. So sad about my loss and yours. It's so hard. It sounds like you did as much as you could. We can only do so much for our chickens My hens are all named and are our pets so sorry for your loss. Did she have a name?

 

[Byrd gal]

I am so sorry for your loss. I too love my birds. I think time, and perspective help. I know I can't have my babies forever and they will pass. I have lost a few already. But I keep them in my heart forever. As the saying goes it is better to have loved and lost than never loved at all. Good vibes sent your way.

 

[charlotte-and-the-bees]

Just had a chicken disappear yesterday morning. Something must have got her. She was our sweetest chicken and she was lame. She figured out a way to get around and when she ran it was like a little skip. So sad about my loss and yours. It's so hard. It sounds like you did as much as you could. We can only do so much for our chickens My hens are all named and are our pets so sorry for your loss. Did she have a name?

I’m so sorry for your loss. The special ones get you extra hard, the little skip sounds adorable. Her name was Ruth. She was tiny (600g) but had a big personality. What about yours?

 

[charlotte-and-the-bees]

I am so sorry for your loss. I too love my birds. I think time, and perspective help. I know I can't have my babies forever and they will pass. I have lost a few already. But I keep them in my heart forever. As the saying goes it is better to have loved and lost than never loved at all. Good vibes sent your way.

It’s so true. I know it will be different with time - so many things trying to kill them and we do everything to keep them alive. This won’t be my last loss, just extra hard as my first.

 

[_-Captain BRM-_]

I’m so sorry for your loss. The special ones get you extra hard, the little skip sounds adorable. Her name was Ruth. She was tiny (600g) but had a big personality. What about yours?

Her name was Hope. She was the "dog" of my flock and would want to be with you and sit on your lap 24/7 will miss he LOADS

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

I find comfort in learning from every death. The last one was my worst though not my first and I blame myself for not trusting my instincts and catching it sooner but I learned from that.

 

[Mrs. K]

Chickens are not real long lived except for a very few. And I really don't think you can do more for them, than give them a good life while you have them. Were they fed daily, did they have safe and comfortable surroundings, good water, and good husbandry? If the answer to that is yes, then you did enough, nothing to feel guilty for.

I know a lot of people treat their birds with all kinds of treatments, but I secretly think that most would either have gotten better on their own, or died anyway. There really is very little you can do with a fowl that greatly prolongs their life, it is more of the luck of the draw.

And it always seems to be your favorite. Some days it is like, why does anyone keep chickens... and then other days, why doesn't everyone?

Mrs K

 

[Dinosaur Village Keeper]

My sister once asked me a series of questions when my pet died…
Did you love her?
Did you want the absolute best for her?
Did you do the best you could with the knowledge you had at the time?
If you answer yes to all of these questions, know that you are the best chicken mom that girl could ever have hoped to have. She is so lucky to have had you for the amount of time She did. Don’t ever forget that. Love does not make us perfect Oh that it would!

 

[CoconutCoffee]

I've had chickens for nearly 8 years and have had sudden deaths and preventable ones (ie free range chooks wandering into the woods never to return). I think it's important to accept some loss will be sudden and to learn from the preventable ones. And to remember the kind of life they had with you while they were here whether they're pets or food, if they have room to roam, good food, and a safe clean home to roost then they had a much better life than many.