Hommage to Lucy

My gently BR Lucy of nearly 3 months stopped walking today. At about 2 weeks old I noticed that her legs were not as steady as they should have been. Gradually her toes started curling in and then her hocks became weaker all the while she was able to keep up with her flock of otherwise healthy chickens. But for a few days now she had becoming ever more unsteady and she sat down and rested a lot. I had been bandaging her toes in the attempt to stabilize her feet and it helped to a degree, but did not prevent her feet from becoming more crippled as time went on. As a result of me handling her more than than the rest of the flock, she became especially friendly and trusting and we enjoyed to sit together. On a level unexplained to me we clicked and she became my little friend being the first and the last by the fence when I would come around to give out treats or just sit and watch the feathered gang.

I had been struggling with the knowledge that the time would come where she would not be able to walk and to the things chickens do best: walk and peck and walk and peck. I probably have been struggling as much as my Lucy only I new what would lie ahead. And today her life came to and end. My husband knew my pain and Lucy's loss of quality in life - and took on the deed while I was at work.

She was a special little bird that despite her handicap took life in big big strides. She was respected by the flock and even tried to sleep on the roost, only most of the time she would grudgingly rest in the nesting box which from a chicken point of view was not the proper place for the night. But every night again she stubbornly tried to roost up with the flock.

I know that not all of you take a death of a chicken to heart as I and that is fine, we are all different, but I still wanted to share the life of a special bird . May she find peace in eternity and may her body will feed the earth.

These were taken a month ago when she was about 7 weeks old:

 

Thank you all for your kind words. Sometimes I wish I could muster my emotional connection to the critter world and toughen up. I know there are a bunch of you out there who have been through the same. And for as long as we keep animals as pets we have to make that journey over and over again. For some reason it doesn't get easier and it really sucks!
And again, thank you all for your hugs and my heart goes out to all who face the same dilemma.