only the good die young... a warning about chicken-sitting.

[pats4lsu]

Farmergirl, that was sad! I'm sorry, I hope someone will try to live up to Tux's memory.

 

[farmergal]

Thanks for the words of support. It's been a tough couple of months, and I'm not just talking about the economy... my fiancee's grandma died, my step-grandfather died, two other family friends died, and just about everything that could possibly break on the farm, has broken. (For a while my fiancee was watering 2 acres by hand because the water pump broke, at a time when he really needed to spend every waking moment getting crops in the ground.)

Tux is the third bird I've lost in about a month (for completely different reasons -- guinea hit by car, nameless leghorn snuck over the property line), and for good measure two songbirds flew into my windshield when I was driving and died. (One did this about fifteen minutes after I found my guinea dead.)

What do you do? Just keep hoping and praying for a little glimmer of good luck, somewhere out there? In fact, at this point I'm not even asking for good luck... just no bad luck...

Sorry for blathering, it has been an emotional night/day! I don't mean to sound like a complainer, and I'm usually the type to tough things out and not really talk about it. But it just seems like life will not quit giving me lemons right now, and I'm having a hard time thinking of ways to turn these tragedies into lemonade. So at least I thought I'd post a little memorial to Tux on here, knowing that you guys understand how much a person can love a chicken... and to warn you to please, please take care of your babies when you go away!

Now I'm crying at work... must stop.... how can I miss her so much?

 

[mamaKate]

I'm very, very sorry about Tux. You did what you had to do. You've reinforced my decision to leave my (2) chickens in a dog crate in the house when I'm out of town.
Healing prayers, Kate

 

[Country4ever]

Oh Farmergal, I'm so sorry!! I am much too familiar with that sadness.

There's not much one can say to comfort you.
Her spirit is still around. Just be open to it.

 

[CityChook]

ah honey, my heart breaks for you. I hope things get better soon. I'm so sorry.
Citychook

 

[Firework]

 

[JennsPeeps]

So sad to hear of your loss because of the carelessness of the guardians.

I encourage everyone who is using a chicken sitter, or thinking of using one, to have some trial runs. Have the person put the chickens away a few times. Check up on them. Make sure it's right. Give them feedback.

Our neighbors know how to put away our chickens, and we know about theirs. They take care of our girls when we'll be out past dusk, and we watch theirs when they go out of town. We have different approaches to the birds' care, but we do what the other asks.

 

[farmergal]

Wise words. Our original house sitter backed out at the last minute so we were forced to go with a Plan B... and thought that since these folks were farmer types they'd know what to do (especially given an extremely detailed list.) Guess we were wrong

 

[Iowa Roo Mom]

I am sooo sorry for your loss, farmgal! Your story made me get teary-eyed, because your Tux meant to you what my Sonny means to me! I cannot immagine how I would handle it if something happened to him. Again, I am so sorry...

 

[toredano]

I am so sorry..

That is a sad thing to happen. Losing any animal is sad but losing one of the ones you really bonded with is horrid.

I had a dog like that. He doed after 13 years with us. I had him cremated and still cannot look at his ashes without bawling like a little girl. And that was allmost 2 years ago.

I dont go anywhere unless someone is home to take care of our animals.Its just not worth it to me .