Rainbow Bridge and the Great Coop Beyond

[NativeBeauty]

I thought to make a tribute page for the tender-hearted flock owners that may be mourning the loss of a favorite feathered pal. So I'll start with posting my friends that have left behind their grieving flock master and fellow coop mates:

First up is Tux, our one year old duclair pied Muscovy drake that was humanely euthanized this April, after a large abdominal mass was discovered.

 

[NativeBeauty]

Next is our Silver Sebright bantams, Zac and Zebracakes. Zac and his girls were rescued from a less than stellar home, placed in quarantine and while there found to be carrying a very heavy parasite load. Though I was able to successfully treat the worms in the hens, poor Zac passed. Zebracakes and Zelda did well and began to lay, when Zebracakes was lost to a hawk

 

[NativeBeauty]

And finally my beloved EE hen Amelia....she was my favorite one from our first shipment of chicks as she loved to be held by me and would follow me all over the yard. RIP

 

[Chickenfan4life]

Oh dear that is so sad. I am so sorry to hear about such losses. I have lost 13 chickens, and I will post about them soon. Thanx for the thread.

 

[abbey808]

I've been away from BYC for a while. I've lost a good many of my flock due to illness, and I just hadn't been up to posting and seeing pictures of chickens. I miss my girls so much.

I am so sorry for the loss of your special buddies. Thank you for sharing your beautiful tributes and photos!

 

[NativeBeauty]

I've been away from BYC for a while. I've lost a good many of my flock due to illness, and I just hadn't been up to posting and seeing pictures of chickens. I miss my girls so much.

I am so sorry for the loss of your special buddies. Thank you for sharing your beautiful tributes and photos!

I am in the very same boat abby808 and I sympathize

It is so hard to lose our "imprinted" flock members. Tux and Amelia would always make a point to greet me and follow me around the yard, I miss them

The SS bantams were mercifully purchased from an owner that wasn't too poultry savvy....at least they got to experience a life outside of a filthy coop (even if it was brief). I miss their jaunty personalities, but I hadn't had the same connection as I did to the ones I raised from chicks/ducklings.

 

[abbey808]

Quote: I am glad to have a place like BYC, where people here understand how hard it is to lose your feathered babies. When my girls passed, I couldn't really express how sad I was because my family and friends did not understand. It's not that they are insensitive, but they have never owned chickens and didn't quite get how you could become attached to them like you would any other pet. It's especially hard to lose the ones that you have raised from day old chicks. The ones that literally thought of you and depended on you as their mom. I still cry once in a while when I allow myself to think too much about the ones that I have lost, but at least now I can write about them without overwhelming grief. I guess only time heals....

 

[b.hromada]

They were all so beautiful. I'm so sorry about the loss of your babies.

 

[Noble Rooster]

I am glad to have a place like BYC, where people here understand how hard it is to lose your feathered babies. When my girls passed, I couldn't really express how sad I was because my family and friends did not understand. It's not that they are insensitive, but they have never owned chickens and didn't quite get how you could become attached to them like you would any other pet. It's especially hard to lose the ones that you have raised from day old chicks. The ones that literally thought of you and depended on you as their mom. I still cry once in a while when I allow myself to think too much about the ones that I have lost, but at least now I can write about them without overwhelming grief. I guess only time heals....

Totally!! I logged in tonight because I just had to put down my last girl today and am now chickenless for the first time in over three years. I don't know what to do with myself without going out to the barn to check on them before I go to bed, and have been sitting here crying on and off for the past few hours. It's so nice to know there are folks out there who understand! (Case in point: when I called the vet's office to make the appt to put her down, the secretary laughed out loud on the phone when I told her why I wanted the appointment....

Luckily the vet was wonderful and understanding, being a chicken lover himself.)

I think in general many people don't get to have their animals from birth or day 2 of life. I've been bereft after losing animal friends before but with the chickens it's been different for exactly the reason you said. They imprinted on my voice on the way home from the feed store. I taught them how to hunt bugs when they were ready for grown-up food. They learned their names and would come when I called them. I nursed them through illness and injuries and when the end came tried to make sure they did not suffer unduly. They nursed me through illness, pregnancy, and some hard times. Their eggs nourished my family. They always seemed to know when a chicken snuggle would do my heart a world of good. Because I was outside so much with them, I observed amazing, beautiful things in the natural world that I otherwise wouldn't have seen. They followed and protected my son as he grew, learned to walk, etc. This just feels different from the sadness I've felt about dogs and horses.

But in keeping with the loving and celebratory intent of the OP, here are some photos of some of my girls. Hugs and condolences to all of you, and best wishes for more happy chicken times to come!

here's my favorite girl. Intelligent, beautiful, sweet, and funny. My guardian angel.




Her best friend.




The girl I had to put to sleep today, with her sidekick.

 

[Chickenfan4life]

RIP Chessie, the sweetest Sultan hen alive! You will be so very greatly missed!

Poor Chessie, my sweet Sultan hen, got pulled into the dog pen today, and sadly, got killed. Our stupid fifteen year old rat terriers killed her and dragged her into the doghouse to eat her. She was such a wonderful hen. I am crying my eyes out right now. Just this morning when I went out to feed the chickens, I saw her. She hopped up in my lap and cuddled with me. She ate grain and bread from my hand. I loved her so much. She was so pretty, and so sweet! I hate those stupid dogs so much! I wish I had a shotgun! If I had a shotgun, we would have stopped losing beloved pet hens a LONG time ago!!!!!!!! If only I had a shotgun...! I would seriously kill those dogs! I hate them so much!

RIP Chessie, my sweet beloved hen.

I could never get a facial shot of her. I loved her so much... RIP my dear, sweet baby.