Ode to Old Hens... Pictures of the Seniors in Our Flock

[speckledhen]

Lost another old hen just a few minutes ago. She was bossing everyone around this morning, but it was one of my "Blue Bookend Hens", my Neela. She was very arthritic and both nares were basically closed off from increasingly larger cysts in them. I didn't think she'd make it through this hot summer, with her decreased oxygen levels and her age...she and Alice were both 9 years old. I'll miss that blue girl so much!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

So sorry Cynthia.

 

[speckledhen]

Here she and Alice were in a video awhile back:

 

[Trish1974]

Lost another old hen just a few minutes ago. She was bossing everyone around this morning, but it was one of my "Blue Bookend Hens", my Neela. She was very arthritic and both nares were basically closed off from increasingly larger cysts in them. I didn't think she'd make it through this hot summer, with her decreased oxygen levels and her age...she and Alice were both 9 years old. I'll miss that blue girl so much!

I am so sorry for your loss.

 

[speckledhen]

Thank you. I brought Alice out where we were holding her sister as she died. Then, we placed Neela on the ground and showed Alice, who I know saw her flip off the roost spot she occupied. Alice looked up in my husband's face and just talked to him in this tiny, quiet voice. He was so touched. It was like she was talking about what just happened or asking for an explanation or something. She never talks like that. She is going to grieve for Neela. They were always together, their entire nine years of life.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I have seen birds grieve the loss of a friend. It's sad to see.

 

[speckledhen]

They are such wonderful animals, I love them all, even the goobers among them. But, we are due for a mass die-off and with so many in this age range, there are more to come. Just because we know it's coming doesn't make it any easier, but Lisa, I know you know that all too well. That's three now, Gypsy, Maretta and Neela. A few 11, 10 and 9 yr olds to go now...and then, there's Bash, if we lose him, too. The barn is being cleared out quickly. I have 29 yens and 5 roosters left, but of course, 2 of those roosters are the Belgian D'anvers, with Aubrey being the oldest rooster at 8 years old and Spike right behind him. So, I guess they are now my oldest, with Atlas next at 5 years old.

 

[Ursuline Chick]

They are such wonderful animals, I love them all, even the goobers among them. But, we are due for a mass die-off and with so many in this age range, there are more to come. Just because we know it's coming doesn't make it any easier, but Lisa, I know you know that all too well. That's three now, Gypsy, Maretta and Neela. A few 11, 10 and 9 yr olds to go now...and then, there's Bash, if we lose him, too. The barn is being cleared out quickly. I have 29 yens and 5 roosters left, but of course, 2 of those roosters are the Belgian D'anvers, with Aubrey being the oldest rooster at 8 years old and Spike right behind him. So, I guess they are now my oldest, with Atlas next at 5 years old.

Yes it is very sad to see them looking allover for their friend day after day. Our first hens have all died off except one, and she seems to have just blended in with the younger hens. We hatched with broodies last year and will try again this year to increase the flock. somehow they seem to except the new pullets and even seems to keep them young. Our oldest is an EE and when we hatch she lays a few blue eggs for a few months and then slows down again. It is a very interesting process and causes a lot of thought on my part as to what causes the hormonal jumps!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I lost a few older ones too in the last couple of years. It sure is easy to get attached to those old birds. I'm currently tending to an old almost blind d'uccle rooster, both his brothers are gone now. I thankfully was able to bond him to another old rooster who I keep penned because he gets beat up otherwise. The two have become best buddies.

When chickens make it past 6-7 they become familiar friends who loss definitely puts a hole in our lives. Most of mine don't have names, but I know each bird, and it's personality.

Chickens are amazing creatures that see every day as the best day ever. They help me in my life, and I look after them the best I can until the end.

Your birds always look so happy and healthy Cynthia, you take good care of them and give them great lives, and you respect them when they pass. It's hard to see them to the end. I respect that you do that for them.

They are such wonderful animals, I love them all, even the goobers among them. But, we are due for a mass die-off and with so many in this age range, there are more to come. Just because we know it's coming doesn't make it any easier, but Lisa, I know you know that all too well. That's three now, Gypsy, Maretta and Neela. A few 11, 10 and 9 yr olds to go now...and then, there's Bash, if we lose him, too. The barn is being cleared out quickly. I have 29 yens and 5 roosters left, but of course, 2 of those roosters are the Belgian D'anvers, with Aubrey being the oldest rooster at 8 years old and Spike right behind him. So, I guess they are now my oldest, with Atlas next at 5 years old.

 

[speckledhen]

Your birds always look so happy and healthy Cynthia, you take good care of them and give them great lives, and you respect them when they pass. It's hard to see them to the end. I respect that you do that for them.

Thank you, Lisa, they mean a lot to me and they deserve respect. Neela and Alice were my last blue birds and now, there's just Alice. I miss all the blue birds, the Ameraucanas and Orpingtons and Rocks. I just love blue birds. And now, Bash, with his expansive blue chest may be leaving me, too. But, it's what has to happen with such a large elderly population. They are so old now and they have so many aches and pains, yet they never gripe about it.

The last time we had some Brahma cockerels in the barnyard among the other birds, I remember Neela trying to get to two that were sparring to break it up. She was going ker-thump, ker-thump, as fast as she could limp over to them to put the smackdown on those boys, LOL. She could deliver a head thunk still, even as of this morning, she whacked either Maddie or Jane, can't remember.