I need to get this off my chest!

[IChickenGirl]

This isn't something I would normally do for a bird. But I think this is something that should be done for the best bird in the whole world. I had a bird, her name is Shilo. She was my Grand Champion and Reserve Champion Fit and Show mottled Bantam Cochin. I had her since she was just a chick. I got her from a lady whoms Cochin's were all eaten by a Coyote. I got them for 4-H just because the lady was enthusiastic about me starting a hobby in this. My first year of showing I just got a blue ribbon for fit and show. She is my only Fit and Show bird. Anyways, the second year into it I got Grand Champion at Fit and Show out of thirty people and Best of Breed for regular showing for her. The Third year into it I got Reserve Champion out of ten people, and got best of breed and best of variety. But this year, I won't be able to do anything. I have dropped out of my dream. That is because my fit and show bird, Shilo, has died today. 7/8/14. She went broody, and starved herself to death. I will be adding more....and I am sorry about the grammar errors in this. I have a tight throat, and I am grieving. Thank you for reading this, dear reader.

 

[calichicken]

This isn't something I would normally do for a bird. But I think this is something that should be done for the best bird in the whole world. I had a bird, her name is Shilo. She was my Grand Champion and Reserve Champion Fit and Show mottled Bantam Cochin. I had her since she was just a chick. I got her from a lady whoms Cochin's were all eaten by a Coyote. I got them for 4-H just because the lady was enthusiastic about me starting a hobby in this. My first year of showing I just got a blue ribbon for fit and show. She is my only Fit and Show bird. Anyways, the second year into it I got Grand Champion at Fit and Show out of thirty people and Best of Breed for regular showing for her. The Third year into it I got Reserve Champion out of ten people, and got best of breed and best of variety. But this year, I won't be able to do anything. I have dropped out of my dream. That is because my fit and show bird, Shilo, has died today. 7/8/14. She went broody, and starved herself to death. I will be adding more....and I am sorry about the grammar errors in this. I have a tight throat, and I am grieving. Thank you for reading this, dear reader.

I am so sorry for your loss

It is heartbreaking to lose a pet near and dear to your heart. It sounds like your girl had an amazing life with you, so you can take solace in that

Although it is difficult to think about now, in the future I would encourage you to take the risk, put your heart out there again and continue what you obviously love....caring for a chicken! They have such a great way of adding happiness into our daily lives

Take Care!

 

[scratch'n'peck]

I'm so sorry you lost Shilo. She sounded like a devoted hen who helped your dreams come true. Most of us on BYC understand how hard it can be to lose a dear chicken who had a way of touching our heart.

 

[TaraBellaBirds]

This isn't something I would normally do for a bird. But I think this is something that should be done for the best bird in the whole world. I had a bird, her name is Shilo. She was my Grand Champion and Reserve Champion Fit and Show mottled Bantam Cochin. I had her since she was just a chick. I got her from a lady whoms Cochin's were all eaten by a Coyote. I got them for 4-H just because the lady was enthusiastic about me starting a hobby in this. My first year of showing I just got a blue ribbon for fit and show. She is my only Fit and Show bird. Anyways, the second year into it I got Grand Champion at Fit and Show out of thirty people and Best of Breed for regular showing for her. The Third year into it I got Reserve Champion out of ten people, and got best of breed and best of variety. But this year, I won't be able to do anything. I have dropped out of my dream. That is because my fit and show bird, Shilo, has died today. 7/8/14. She went broody, and starved herself to death. I will be adding more....and I am sorry about the grammar errors in this. I have a tight throat, and I am grieving. Thank you for reading this, dear reader.

So sorry for your loss. Words can't heal when we greive but companionship can!

Only a fellow 'chicken person' can understand how you could greive for a bird! Take the time to heal and remember but please don't give up on your dreams

.

 

[RonP]

This isn't something I would normally do for a bird. But I think this is something that should be done for the best bird in the whole world. I had a bird, her name is Shilo. She was my Grand Champion and Reserve Champion Fit and Show mottled Bantam Cochin. I had her since she was just a chick. I got her from a lady whoms Cochin's were all eaten by a Coyote. I got them for 4-H just because the lady was enthusiastic about me starting a hobby in this. My first year of showing I just got a blue ribbon for fit and show. She is my only Fit and Show bird. Anyways, the second year into it I got Grand Champion at Fit and Show out of thirty people and Best of Breed for regular showing for her. The Third year into it I got Reserve Champion out of ten people, and got best of breed and best of variety. But this year, I won't be able to do anything. I have dropped out of my dream. That is because my fit and show bird, Shilo, has died today. 7/8/14. She went broody, and starved herself to death. I will be adding more....and I am sorry about the grammar errors in this. I have a tight throat, and I am grieving. Thank you for reading this, dear reader.

So very sorry for your loss.

Visit this site

https://rainbowsbridge.com/poem.htm

I hope it helps.

 

[wonkyflock14]

I am so sorry for your loss. My thoughts are with you.

 

[Blooie]

This isn't something I would normally do for a bird. But I think this is something that should be done for the best bird in the whole world. I had a bird, her name is Shilo. She was my Grand Champion and Reserve Champion Fit and Show mottled Bantam Cochin. I had her since she was just a chick. I got her from a lady whoms Cochin's were all eaten by a Coyote. I got them for 4-H just because the lady was enthusiastic about me starting a hobby in this. My first year of showing I just got a blue ribbon for fit and show. She is my only Fit and Show bird. Anyways, the second year into it I got Grand Champion at Fit and Show out of thirty people and Best of Breed for regular showing for her. The Third year into it I got Reserve Champion out of ten people, and got best of breed and best of variety. But this year, I won't be able to do anything. I have dropped out of my dream. That is because my fit and show bird, Shilo, has died today. 7/8/14. She went broody, and starved herself to death. I will be adding more....and I am sorry about the grammar errors in this. I have a tight throat, and I am grieving. Thank you for reading this, dear reader.

I am so sorry for your loss. Shilo must have been something special. I hope you will get another and have just as much success with her. And please remember one thing - Shilo didn't win all of those awards on her own. If not for you she would have been just another chicken in the coop.....maybe a prettier one than most, but just a chicken. Instead your partnership with her made the difference. She didn't raise herself. She didn't make sure all the right foods were in her dish. She didn't bathe herself or train herself. She didn't keep her housing clean and make sure that she was healthy. YOU did those things with and for her.

I had a show dog like that. I called him my "learn-on' dog because although I'd had dogs all my life, this was the one who looked at me and said, "Let me show off what I'm made of. Together we can do this!" He was amazing and he won - a lot, and big, despite my inexperience. But I learned so much from him. When I lost him all of my ooomph for showing drained out with my tears. Oh, I had others. But it was never the same, and we didn't seem to win much. Then a good friend gently pointed out that until I stopped expecting every dog to be RJ, and never allowing them to be be themselves, I was never going to enjoy what I was doing again. She was right. I was wasting time and wasting everything I'd learned trying to clone RJ, and it just wasn't possible. I had to let each one show off what made them special, not keeping his memory alive through them but making new memories with them.

I know you'll raise another chicken and I know you'll love her. It's obvious that your heart is too big to build a wall around, and you can't just turn off all of your knowledge. You'll share all of that with another lucky little girl. She won't be Shilo, but you will take all of the lessons you learned and you'll shine again - for you and for Shilo. I promise.

 

[luvliebee]

I am sorry for your loss. I am only about to embark upon my own journey with chickens, and I already fear losing one. My grandmother and I are going to raise them and we are building the coop now. I know it irritates her but I am constantly making sure that everything we're doing is for the health and safety of the chickens, even if to her it seems a little overboard.

My thoughts and best wishes go out to you and yours.

 

[JeanR]

You have MANY who are so sorry and sympathetic. There are many of us who are as devoted and attached to certain birds that have never won a ribbon or award, are just the greatest "friends" that we adore!

Last year, I lost a 12 year old hen, that had not laid an egg for 2 years, was a dependable broody, and hatched many chicks for me, but NONE of her own, as she was not a "show bird", just a wonderful hen!!! She is irreplaceable as herself. It is not the END, as I have not replaced her with one "just like her", but several that are also DEAR, WONDERFUL"friends"and nice broodies.

If possible, this is what I would recommend that you do--not stop--but obtain, if you do not have other bantams, several young birds from a reputable breeder, to spend time with, to work with, maybe or maybe not to SHOW, but to be the "friend" that you miss so much. You know that a little bantam hen does not have to be a WINNER at shows to be your BEST bird~! You have learned so much from that hen, it would be a shame not to use your skills with another--or several more, if you can! NEVER GIVE UP, even after a loss. We can keep none of them forever. Best wishes right along with sharing your loss, with greatest sympathy.


(And should I share my grief at losing (June 6. 2013) 22 breeding birds, best of 20+ years selection and breeding, to a Grizzly Bear family and trashing of one poultry house and 5 outside pens (one with a GREAT hen -setting--they ate them all, so FWP,who came with bear traps and electrified my other two poultry houses with a few young birds, not threatened ). I was left with some young birds, nice but not the BEST ones, and this year, have hatched some promising chicks (8 pullets that are like devoted kittens- friendly, and follow me around,can pick them up anytime from around my feet! ) NO, not the same, as several of the birds I have lost and will never get over their loss! But I am truly enjoying the chance I have to EXPECT be as happy with the new ones (yes, I will keep at least 3--some are related to those lost). You will never forget your dear hen, but the quickest way to recover and profit the experience she gave you--would be to "thank and honor her memory" by letting one or some, new youngsters receive her shadow under your care! Good luck!

 

[IChickenGirl]

Thank you all for your kind words. I have another Cochin, and shes in training right now, and her name is Mona Lisa. I contacted a amazing breeder in Washington state hopefully to get more birds. I got Shilo and her sister Ming-Ming from a lady on here. Thank you all. And I am sorry for your own loss.