Tink and Tilly

by Hannah Robinett
(West Virginia)

My husband surprised me with 7 Australorp chicks in March 2020. I was able to raise them during pandemic shutdown and really enjoy the process.

Tink was the runt of the bunch and I always called her the “extra” because my husband had to buy a minimum of 6 chicks, paid for 6, but came home with 7.

She started out the smallest but gradually caught up and surpassed the others. She was always where she was supposed to be, doing what she was supposed to be doing.

Tilly’s name actually changed to Trilly because she was always making trilling sounds when eating or talking to her sisters. One day she hid from me and I looked for thirty minutes for her, to turn around and she was standing in front of the coop like she’d been there all along.

Trilly was always curious of my husband's police k9 and deer, running up to them to give them a better look.

Within the past two weeks, I lost them both.

Tink had been fine the day prior but then died 2 hours after I got home from work, in my arms being loved.

Trilly died today. I came home from work and she was laying on the coop floor, already gone. Again, she was fine the day before.

The girls get treated with the best care and attention. So, therefore I’m beating myself up for not being able to save them. Each girl has her own personality and part in the flock.

I’m heartbroken for myself as well as my girls. It’s been terribly hard losing them because they give me so much joy.

I like to imagine that Tink needed a sister and they are chowing down on endless watermelon in the sky.

Cuckoo, our daughter’s first and favorite

by Jessica M.
(New Derry, PA)

Cuckoo and 11 others were brought home by my husband in April 2020 because of lockdown. He wanted my kids and myself to have something positive to focus on and it became a passion for myself and my oldest daughter.

Cuckoo was a Rhode Island Red (and I swear she was mixed with speckled Sussex) Her coloring was so unique. She was incredibly gentle and loved getting hugs where she would rest her head on your shoulder.

Her favorite treat was raisins and she had 2 best friends, Boomer and Latte. She liked to pal around with our rooster, Pecker, and she was his number one gal.

My daughter looked forward to hugging her every single day we went to let them out and check for eggs. One day, she never came out. We suspect she passed from a heart attack.

The devastation from my 11 year old daughter was just raw pain. Most people do not understand, but these chickens have changed and enriched our lives. They are our friends. She was our friend and is greatly missed every single day we go out there with them.

She is buried under a beautiful tree and I am etching a headstone for her. We miss her so much.

Margarita

by Josie
(WA)

Sweet, red feathered Margarita with the fluffy cheeks! You were the best chicken I could have had.

Your sweet purrs and trust in me when you fell asleep in my lap made me love you so much.

You're no longer in pain, and you can walk and run in heaven like you couldn't on earth. I love you so much baby girl.

Ruth

by Meg Boston
(Alabama)

She was a pearl white Leghorn and was so beautiful among the others and passed away today for no apparent reason.

Carter, age 11.

Rocky

by Penelope Chudley
(Devon, England)

My beautiful, funny, loving chicken that was rescued from a house as the owners were moving came to live with me a couple of years ago.

The most beautiful bird I have ever seen, and we have much love for each other. She used to run to greet me when I got home from work and I taught her to peck for treats (annoying sometimes if I had none on me!).

She used to love dust baths and sunbathing. Lived with her best pal Pixie the pug. They shared beds, food and hung out together with me when ever I was around.

Yesterday she started rapid sneezing having spent a perfect morning very normally. This developed into a cough and within a few hours she was dead.

I watched the video so plenty of tears from me. She was not just a chicken, she was an amazing companion and friend.

Had the burial service today and this was in one of her favourite spots in the garden.

Very very sad day.

Patsy and Eddie

by Karen
(NSW)

I got Patsy and Eddie together. Only had two chooks. Eddie died 7 months ago.

Patsy seemed to love being the head chicken of no flock! Then she got quiet so we got Timtam a week ago.

Patsy got sick, sour crop I think. Did everything for her but she died today in front of me.

Go meet Eddie my lovely, friendly friend. I wish I could have saved you.

Sunny and Beaky

by Max
(Melbourne )

Hello,

Me and my family got 2 chickens named Sunny and Beaky the start of this year.

They were the most loved and best chickens in the world. Often we would take them inside on cold days when they walked around in the rain all day and they were soaking wet.

They were so friendly and would not hurt a fly. They would come up to you and just stand next to you and stare at you with their cute faces.

Unfortunately last night no one locked the pen up and we woke up to a lot of feathers all over the back yard. I can’t even describe how sad I am.

They weren’t just an animal, they were family.

Rest in peace Sunny and Beaky. We will never forget you.

Hector

by Helen
(Cheshire)

I have just found my beautiful cockerel Hector dead!

He was let out this morning and did his usual... he’s very territorial and protects his ladies well, so we always go in armed with a broom!

He behaved completely normally, attempting to attack the broom and strutting his stuff. This was around 7am. I went back at 8.30 to feed them and found him dead... lying on his back, so sign of any injury, his feathers still perfect. It was such a shock.

I hatched him in May 19. He was a magnificent french copper Marans. He had such presence and guarded and looked after his flock so well. He was a strong healthy boy and nothing phased him. I have no idea what could have happened. Any ideas welcome.

He will be greatly missed, his majestic beauty and his fantastic, perfect "cock-a-doodle-doo".

My sweet baby Rafiki, love you always.

by Neoma
(Carson City, Nevada, USA)

I got Rafiki (Rafe for short) at a poultry swap in 2019. He was a Russian Orloff rooster with stunning feathers and a very sweet demeanor. While we brought him home the silly boy wiped his beak on our other adopted hen's head, prompting us to name her Napkin. (She too has passed on, only a few weeks after getting her, due to illness.)

Rafiki was always frail, delicate. We've had other chickens like that. No matter how much we fed him, he never got strong or put on weight. He was always skinny as a rail. But he was the sweetest little rooster I'd ever met. I brought him in almost once a week to cuddle him and feed him treats.

He'd cackle excitedly and follow me everywhere, even running after me when he wanted to. He loved grapes, ham, and especially mealworms. He loved to hang out with the older hens, looking after our half-blind Duccle named Wiggles. She and him were best friends.

A few days ago, on December 4th of 2020, my sweet Rafe passed away in his sleep. He was breathing hard, had lost interest in food and water, and didn't want to walk anymore. We brought him inside, knowing what was going to happen. I hoped against all hope that he would pull through, because despite being frail, he was resilient. But he didn't.

We buried him in the backyard and covered the grave with rocks.

The yard doesn't feel the same without Rafiki, even with all the other chickens out there. It feels almost empty despite all the other chickens I love so much running around.

It's still hard to believe he's gone. Whenever I go outside I expect him to run up to me for snuggles, but he doesn't. He brought a ton of life to the yard. I miss him daily and there's a rooster shaped hole in my heart.

Both me and my parents are hoping to get some Russian Orloff eggs or chicks next year.

My sweet baby Rafiki, I love you with all my heart.

My stunningly beautiful cockerel

by Pat
(Lancashire)

I found my stunningly beautiful Columbian Black Tail Cockerel dead In the coop this morning. He was 9 months old and perfectly fine when he was shut away last night .. I’m gutted!

His ladies keep looking for him 😢

Bye bye Peggy

by Melinda Landon
(Escondido CA USA)

I am a first time chicken owner. 9 months ago a raised 5 New Hampshire Reds from chicks. I have become very attached to them.

I lost a chicken a few months ago, my best egg layer. Today I lost Peggy, she was very sweet. No reason, or I have no idea. They greet me every morning waiting for their treats and there was only 2 this morning.

I thought it was odd. I went to the coop and there she was, on her side under the watering bucket. My heart sank. I should of checked her over but I didn't.

She was fine yesterday and last night as far as I know. This is very hard! I am sad today on 12-22-20.

Bye-bye my Sweet Peggy and may you enjoy Chicken Heaven.

Little Dittle love you forever

by Aubrie

“Little Dittle” was the smallest little thing I had ever seen. She was a little hen from Tractor Supply and you could tell she was in the wrong group. She was tiny and had little black wings.

We raised her with three other hens. She was such a friendly little chicken, whenever I was sad about anything she would come up to me and sit there in my lap and let me just talk and talk and talk. It always lifted my spirits.

When I lost my oldest dog, I went down there after we buried him and sat there and let the chickens out to eat some bugs. She was as happy as can be although she didn’t look like she had all of her feathers but I just thought she was molting.

But a few days later I walked in the coop, the other three - Stella, Parcour Paula and Speckles were all there, but I didn’t see Little Dittle anywhere.

I didn’t bother much since she was so small she could hide in small spaces, but that coop isn’t that big and she liked dirt baths and sometimes liked to hide.

I looked around the whole coop then looked inside the coop. I saw her laying on the mesh with her head dangling through. I yelled her name and nothing happened. She was dead.

I was devastated. I ran inside crying “Little Dittle's dead.” We buried her next to my dog, Kobi.

I never knew what breed she was or what even killed her. She had no blood, no scratches and no feathers anywhere on the ground or by her, so I know a predator couldn’t have gotten her.

I still can’t figure out what breed she was she was orange, black and mostly white but tiny, she was young too.

She was such a sweet chicken and I wish she was still here.

Aubrie (mom).