Ugh, today was not a good day. Last night, my first ever hen, Pumpkin, who I accidentally acquired from the neighbors (she was starving and found the duck feed) was acting a little off. Now, she's the hen that got me into chickens in the first place, and so even though she's not very tame, she's special to me. She also had an odd growth that had been developing for two years now, but it never seemed to bother her. Anyway, she was at least eight years old and so I figured maybe she was slowing down finally (she's been top hen since I got her and even beats up the roo). Then, this morning, she didn't come out of the coop and instead retreated into a nesting box. She doesn't lay eggs, so that was weird. Well, I reached in and petted her and made sure she was warm and comfy in there, and I left. When I got back, I found her passed away in the nesting box.
And then I finally got the neighbors to take back their barred rock crosses that had moved over uninvited. One was a roo for sure, and the last thing I need is another roo, otherwise I would have been fine with them hanging around. Well, apparently I was more attached than I thought and giving them back was not as easy as I thought it would be. So in one day I'm down three birds.
So sorry to hear of your pumpkin. She had a better life with you that the neighbors that she started out with. I am sure she had a good life.....
