This was a photo of Zam, when we brought her and her 6 other coop mates home in Dec. 2013. They all had a very rough start in life and shortly after getting them, we were down to just 3, one of them being Zam.
Zammie was a fighter and grew up into a beautiful girl. She became the #1 chicken of our coop, never in a mean way, but just by her overpowering presence. The new girls we added in April 2014 respected her and always let her have first choice of everything.
Zam's favorite thing in life was to eat. She was always first at the food bowl and the last one to leave. She wasn't ever cuddly or a lap sitter like some of our other girls so whenever she graced us with one of her rare "squatty's" we knew she was giving us a gift. Zam was a wonderful layer and gave us a big, brown egg almost every day.
This is Zam at age 1:
:
Here's Zam on the left doing her favorite thing (eating):
Zam seemed much like always up until yesterday when she didn't eat much, that concerned me. We put her in a place of her own and tempted her with her favorites (yogurt, strawberries, watermelon). She pecked at it a little, but without enthusiasm.
Today she quit eating altogether and didn't want to take any liquids. This from the girl that would ordinarily eat as much as 3 red sex link chickens. I've been checking on her throughout the day but it was no good.
Zam, that brave little chick that had such a rough start, our #1 girl, finally just laid down and died.
We've lost a few before but Zam was special and it's heartbreaking.
Thank you for letting me tell Zammie's story.
Zammie was a fighter and grew up into a beautiful girl. She became the #1 chicken of our coop, never in a mean way, but just by her overpowering presence. The new girls we added in April 2014 respected her and always let her have first choice of everything.
Zam's favorite thing in life was to eat. She was always first at the food bowl and the last one to leave. She wasn't ever cuddly or a lap sitter like some of our other girls so whenever she graced us with one of her rare "squatty's" we knew she was giving us a gift. Zam was a wonderful layer and gave us a big, brown egg almost every day.
This is Zam at age 1:
:
Here's Zam on the left doing her favorite thing (eating):
Zam seemed much like always up until yesterday when she didn't eat much, that concerned me. We put her in a place of her own and tempted her with her favorites (yogurt, strawberries, watermelon). She pecked at it a little, but without enthusiasm.
Today she quit eating altogether and didn't want to take any liquids. This from the girl that would ordinarily eat as much as 3 red sex link chickens. I've been checking on her throughout the day but it was no good.
Zam, that brave little chick that had such a rough start, our #1 girl, finally just laid down and died.
We've lost a few before but Zam was special and it's heartbreaking.
Thank you for letting me tell Zammie's story.
(big, big hug)
Oh, Debby! I'm so sorry for the loss of Zam. No matter how many you loose, it is never easy. But the special one's are devastating. For me it was Big Red. I found her dead on her eggs. Still don't know what killed her. But the interesting part was she was long past, by the time I found her that afternoon. But one of her flock mates was sitting beside her until I found her. Then stood and watched me bury her. Then she went back to the flock. They really are special animals. Now, I am crying twice as much. I didn't mean to add a 'me too.' So I apologize for doing that. Just know I feel for you. 
