- Oct 11, 2011
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We found her in the coop this morning, on her back, rigid. There was no sign of injury or sickness. It has been a very sad morning for us. Redtail was one of the first hens we got when we first went into chickens. We went to a farm and picked out three full grown hens about 4-5 years ago. A red sex link, Luna (still living), and EE, Apolla (passed away), and Estella, and black sex link. However, the black sex link crowed, and we returned her for....what we were told was another red sex link....Redtail. Actually, her name started out as Stella. Then, for some reason, she turned into Redtail. I'm not quite sure where it began, but it was several years ago. She's been Redtail since, although she has the classic black tail feathers of a production red/rhode island red. We actually beleived she was a sex link for years, never really questioning it, until we got into chickens and became knowledgable on the subject.
She was a very old hen and I think she must have passed from old age, hopefully peacefully in her sleep. Her best freind Luna is very sad this morning. I'm glad it isn't still just her and Redtail, but now Luna has some buddies, a white leghorn, and two black stars. I miss Redtail very much.
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Before August 30th, 2011, chickens used to be just another animal. Yes, they used to be 'just chickens' to me. Last summer we picked up a box with four white leghorn chicks. I fed and watered them, didn't really think much of them. Sadly a few weeks later, a racoon came and killed three of them, before we turned our coop into Fort Knox. The remaining one was Sage. And I was determined not to let her die.
We had close calls. Flying into the neighbors yard that contained a killer pitbull, hawk attacks, attacks from other chickens. But chickens changed for me. I loved chickens then. I learned everything I could about them. And then- I got more. Three black star chicks, a few weeks old. They became Sage's freinds very quickly, and united, they stood up to the big girls, Luna, and Redtail. They grew, and now, I am happy to say, all are laying and more or less getting along well. However, on the path, Onyx was killed by a hawk. I was still learning. I covered the run until they were old enough to be too big for hawks.
I just realized a few months ago that those black star chicks, the ones that became Sage's best freinds, were born on the same day that her sisters died. Maybe they were meant for her.
But in this year, once I learn to love chickens, five of them have died. We only had one die in the years before now. Maybe it's because we got more, and attracted more predators. I feel like a bad chicken momma.
R.I.P Redtail. She's the dark one in the picutre looking ridiculous with her mouth open
She was a very old hen and I think she must have passed from old age, hopefully peacefully in her sleep. Her best freind Luna is very sad this morning. I'm glad it isn't still just her and Redtail, but now Luna has some buddies, a white leghorn, and two black stars. I miss Redtail very much.
Before August 30th, 2011, chickens used to be just another animal. Yes, they used to be 'just chickens' to me. Last summer we picked up a box with four white leghorn chicks. I fed and watered them, didn't really think much of them. Sadly a few weeks later, a racoon came and killed three of them, before we turned our coop into Fort Knox. The remaining one was Sage. And I was determined not to let her die.
We had close calls. Flying into the neighbors yard that contained a killer pitbull, hawk attacks, attacks from other chickens. But chickens changed for me. I loved chickens then. I learned everything I could about them. And then- I got more. Three black star chicks, a few weeks old. They became Sage's freinds very quickly, and united, they stood up to the big girls, Luna, and Redtail. They grew, and now, I am happy to say, all are laying and more or less getting along well. However, on the path, Onyx was killed by a hawk. I was still learning. I covered the run until they were old enough to be too big for hawks.
I just realized a few months ago that those black star chicks, the ones that became Sage's best freinds, were born on the same day that her sisters died. Maybe they were meant for her.
But in this year, once I learn to love chickens, five of them have died. We only had one die in the years before now. Maybe it's because we got more, and attracted more predators. I feel like a bad chicken momma.
R.I.P Redtail. She's the dark one in the picutre looking ridiculous with her mouth open
