Lucie & Peaches, 2023

by Hailie
(Texas)

Lucie was our Leghorn. We got her as a chick on Easter. It was our very first time having chicks. My husband surprised us with 4 of them. I was like "omg, what did you do?!". We live in an HOA. Lol.

Many weeks later, I loved them all & they were MY chickens.

Lucie’s death caught me by such surprise, it was so hard on me. My first chicken death. I think what made it the hardest was that just the day before we took her to tractor supply for some Vetericin, because she couldn’t open her poor eye. I had figured maybe another hen pecked her or something, I really had no idea. But there were no fresh signs of any pecking wounds.

She had no other signs or symptoms of illness, she was doing everything like normal. I’m a stay at home mom so I’m always outside with them while they free range, so I would notice a change in her.

The next day my husband went TDY (military term for out of town work basically). I had joked and told him tell everyone this isn’t a deployment and that you’ll be back soon.

We got home at 6am from dropping him off, and Lucie was still alive (I kennelled her). By the time my toddler and I woke up around 11, she was dead in her kennel. The sight of her, and having to take her out, was extremely sad, and I’ll never forget how she looked.

I felt so bad thinking she died alone or scared. I couldn’t stop crying. My mom had to come over and bury her for me. Her grave actually has a painted portrait memorial rock of her.

A month later my husband surprised me with a golden sexlink. I named her Peaches, because my kids were obsessed with the new Mario movie and Princess Peach.

We had Peaches for four days. I’d like to think they were the best four days of her life. We bought her from a breeder and she was in a large square dog run type cage, with about 30 or so other chickens. She was the sweetest chicken I have ever met!

Immediately she and I clicked. She would perch on my rocker with me, sit on my lap, eat from my hand, and just let me constantly hold her and give her lovings.

Today my husband came home with a brand new pink and white coop for my girls. We had placed her and my hen Raven (barred rock) in the coop together. Earlier they were both hanging out together, so I thought it would’ve been fine.

We ran an errand & when we came back Peaches was on her back lifeless & Raven was on top of her. When we pulled her out she was just so limp. We cooled her off and hoped for the best, but unfortunately she didn’t make it.

My husband said he thought she had broken her neck, she could hardly hold it up she was so weak. She drank some water when I gave her some & she drank a bit of Gatorade. She kept making a weird sound and her breathing was so labored. I just held her for a while and she didn’t seem to get any better.

Her death was so sad, but I handled it better because I think I was able to expect it this time. I just really wish I knew what had happened to her truly.

I told my husband I don’t want to get any more chickens & we will just keep the 3 we have left. Peaches, was by far the sweetest and we bonded insanely over the past four days.

I feel better knowing that the past four days were the best she ever had. She was almost a year old, so they said.

Peaches is now buried next to Lucie.

I told my toddler that they went to heaven. I feel better thinking that too.

My poor girls.

Rest In peace.