We lost another hen yesterday. When I went to see the girls when I got home from work in the morning, there she was, settled down in the corner of the coop, her eyes closed and head bowed. She looked like she had just gone to sleep. I have no idea why she died. She'd been feeling thin to me, but her appetite was good and she'd been as energetic as ever. Honeybunch broke through the frozen ground and we buried her under the fig tree, next to Cerberus and the little Barred Rock, who we lost this past year to an impacted egg and a hawk.
I must be becoming a farmer, because though I felt sadness and regret, I did not cry.
Popcorn was top chicken, and ruled the roost. She had some gender identity issues, and was known to mount her sisters (poor Lady Jane was often missing neck feathers for this reason). But she was friendly, a reliable layer, and always the first to explore when something new came along. I'm going to miss her spunky presence in the chicken yard.
2 comments:
You might check your big colleges where you live. Here in Cali, I have been able to send hens that pass to U.C Davis for a free necropsy. I only had to pay for shipping and wait. It's good to know what has gotten into your flock. As it turns out, my girl McClucky had Lymphoid Leukosis. There was nothing I could have done to prevent it. That is good to know too. Anyhow, maybe your area has something similar?
Be well,
Shana
Excellent recommendation, I'll have to look into the possibility of a similar program around here, we do have a lot of large universities nearby.
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