One of the chickens went to the pot and I'm having a hard time....

[galanie]

You'll be fine. I had to do the same with one of my first hens I ever had. Raised them from little chicks and loved them all. Then one turned out to be a horrible bully. She took it to a whole new level. This wasn't pecking order stuff, this was just plain mean bully behavior. I cried when she met her demise. I ate her but I didn't enjoy it and it bothered me badly for a few weeks. I still think of her but I did the right thing and so did you.

 

[ChickyLoo]

Thank you all so much for your kindness & understanding

it bothers me immensely not knowing why the other girls turned on her..there was already a pecking order established? Can anyone help me understand?

 

[galanie]

Sometimes we just can't figure it out. If everyone is fine now, then maybe she had something wrong or was weak and they saw it yet people couldn't.

 

[Flawedatdesign]

Well I know how you feel. I had a rooster that did nothing but be a rooster. I had 1 to many and had to choose. Better Half made chciken and dumplins with him the first night. I ate the dumplins and just couldn't eat any of the chicken knowing that he wasn't at fault.

2nd night she made green chilies enchiladas. Well I ate those felt bad for a few hours but the next day the left overs were so good I just came to terms with it's the fact of someone else could have done the same thing had I giving him away.

 

[ChickyLoo]

Quote:
They wouldn't let her lay in the nest box, we made 2 others to avoid the fighting and pecking but to no avail..........and they STILL all want to use the same nest box.....UGH She would go out roam and lay her egg I thought she was looking to "nest" but she kept putting more and more eggs on top so she wasn't ready. I felt awful though when we found an egg in her, she wasn't even done laying that day. I gotta let this go...Thanks for all the encouragement I just need some more time I guesss..

Thanks Flawedatdesign....I managed a small nibble of the chicken salad but just can't do more than that right now

 

[DinosRBirds]

I always blame myself for my chicken's deaths, even though i was at school, and had no controll ove r the raccoon, i know how you feel, and i support you.

 

[DinosRBirds]

i hope you feel better about this, but don't ever forget it, it's a life lesson, whether we like it or not, and we can all learn from it.

 

[DinosRBirds]

i learned from my ordeal, never leave so much as an inch of space between the fence, and the coop.

 

[DinosRBirds]

good luck.

 

[Avalon1984]

You did the right thing. It takes a lot to do that but it is part of owning chickens. Good for you!