Remembering the Chickens You've Lost

[NovaAman]

My lovely Mr. Fluffers. Passed away last night after a week long struggle to recover from a raccoon attack. Injuries were internal, but no hens were lost, and Mr. F kicked some serious coon butt.

 

[theoldchick]

One of my fondest memories is of a game rooster I named General French Fry. Retired from a career not allowed to be discussed on this forum, General French Fry had a certain demeanor about him. Scarred from his er...uh.....game activities, the General was unusually tractable to people. And he really like me. Surprising since I was the one who sutured his breast back in place, and back then there was no anesthesia for chickens. I remember him watching me intently as I carefully stitched the muscle. I really didn't expect him to survive.

He was a sight during his recovery period. Lord have mercy on that poor rooster. We didn't have fancy bandages and so forth back then so I had to fashion a pair of panty hose to hold his temporary bandage in place. Yes, I cut a section of panty hose, and placed it over and around him like a jacket. I don't think the Leggs manufacturer had this purpose in mind, but dang if the fine mesh didn't hold the gauze in place.

General French Fry didn't mind, and only a proud game rooster could look regal wearing a pair of cut-off panty hose. Bless his heart. He did have a few days he didn't feel well, and out of desperation I offered him a french fry to encourage him to eat. He loved them, and when he recovered enough so he could walk normally, he did this strange maneuver where he'd look like he was saluting the starchy delicacy before he'd eat it. He'd stand at attention and stomp his right foot then jerk his right wing forward.

No, I don't have a picture of the red rooster with the white hackle feathers. But the green-eyed warrior needs no photograph to bring tears to my eyes when I think of him. He was a joy to have and was buried with honor when he died of old age. His terms. His time. As it should be.

 

[cerealrock78]

RIP Sheldon


My other girls were very sad about what they witnessed, but I know that she is our guardian angel and will be forever in thier hearts. I miss her so much

Hugs and kisses for Sheldon

But she lived a happy life, without being slauthered, hurt, she was very loved.

 

[clucky3255]

i lost my first chicken in the spring. it was a baby. her name was sparrow because she was the smallest and sparrow had markings like the real sparrow.

i miss her alot. she was a araacana... (spelled????)


i am sorry i cant tell u what took her away.. some sickness....

and i dont got a pic sorry
oops. she was my second.

 

[clucky3255]

i also had a cock.. Elvis...he was a barred rock and he was so nice and gentle. but the older hens did not like him.. i had to roos ..Elvis and Gus. Gus was bigger and tougher.. he would be at the top of the pecking order.. unfortunately he thought that I was a threat to the hens.. he would fight me and my sibling every day.

i was scared of him.. i was eleven then.

so he was sold..... the hens still did not like Elvis and so one night i was shutting them in the coop as always and i heard squawking right as i shut the door. So i ran to the other side of the coop were he lay. you could see the back of his skull and it was very bloody.

i tryed to nurse him back to health.... but i had to go to camp. so my mom and dad took me and my sisters. and when they came back he was dead and cold..

so saddddd

 

[outdoorsii]

I'm so glad to find this thread, because I just lost the loveliest hen ever. Tink was part of my first batch of Dominiques (and I'm a convert to the breed now!). She was "travel weary" and wouldn't eat or drink at first. My husband, daughter, and I nursed with with an eyedropper for almost a week before she perked up and started eating and drinking on her own. She was the runt--half the size of the others--but they treated her just like the others, and she didn't expect any special treatment. She ended up reaching her full growth and becoming the lead hen. She would perch on our arms and beg drinks of beer and lemonade. The heatwave we are having here in the Midwest was too much for her, however, and she passed away last week. I miss her every day. RIP, Tink. You made me love chickens!

AWwww, I sorry, she sounded like a pretty cool hen!, I lost my Whispytail about 3 months ago 1 of my 2 white leghorns Here's a pic of her upstairs in my bathroom, recovering from her double bumblefoot

 

[outdoorsii]

One of my fondest memories is of a game rooster I named General French Fry. Retired from a career not allowed to be discussed on this forum, General French Fry had a certain demeanor about him. Scarred from his er...uh.....game activities, the General was unusually tractable to people. And he really like me. Surprising since I was the one who sutured his breast back in place, and back then there was no anesthesia for chickens. I remember him watching me intently as I carefully stitched the muscle. I really didn't expect him to survive.

He was a sight during his recovery period. Lord have mercy on that poor rooster. We didn't have fancy bandages and so forth back then so I had to fashion a pair of panty hose to hold his temporary bandage in place. Yes, I cut a section of panty hose, and placed it over and around him like a jacket. I don't think the Leggs manufacturer had this purpose in mind, but dang if the fine mesh didn't hold the gauze in place.

General French Fry didn't mind, and only a proud game rooster could look regal wearing a pair of cut-off panty hose. Bless his heart. He did have a few days he didn't feel well, and out of desperation I offered him a french fry to encourage him to eat. He loved them, and when he recovered enough so he could walk normally, he did this strange maneuver where he'd look like he was saluting the starchy delicacy before he'd eat it. He'd stand at attention and stomp his right foot then jerk his right wing forward.

No, I don't have a picture of the red rooster with the white hackle feathers. But the green-eyed warrior needs no photograph to bring tears to my eyes when I think of him. He was a joy to have and was buried with honor when he died of old age. His terms. His time. As it should be.

Wow, thats a really cool story!

 

[HenFriend]

RIP Giant Flora/Franklin who was supposed to be a bantam Silkie cross hen and turned into a giant but very gentle rooster. He went blind and I hand fed him every day and he still managed to find his way round the coop.








This is noisy Jasmine who always made it known when she was hungry/wanted the nest box/to be let out with a dreadful complaining squawk sound that even my neighbours recognised. Sadly she died last year from a mystery illness that did not respond to the antiboitics from the vet. She was a real character and used to go crazy looking for worms when I was digging the garden. I had to be careful not to tread on her or stab her with the fork!

 

[animallover505]

I just found one of my chickens, Crystal, dead in her dustbathing spot. She was always the friendliest.

 

[GardenGal]

For all of you who've posted about their beloved chickens. They are all so special. Can't imagine life without chickens any more.