In memory of Gigi Kamalu

by Saranya
(India)

She came to us when she was about a month old. A cute little chicken. There were three rosters too. They grew up together, she was our favorite.

After some time, we had to give away the rosters as they were attacking her now and then. She was badly injured once. Even though we kept her inside our home at night and the rosters were in the chicken coop, they would attack her when they get a chance, while they roamed around in the backyard.

She was special and we just couldn't see her in pain. Gave away the four rosters and took her in to our home. She would sleep on a carefully laid out bed in a box at night. Her wounds were tended to properly and she was nursed back to health. Once she was healthy and too big to stay inside at night, she started sleeping on the chicken coop.

She would answer when called her name, we used to call her "Kamalu". She would roam freely around the house during day time and go to sleep in her coop when it gets dark. She even became my emotional support and companion during some difficult times.

It was easy to forget the difficulties in life when you had such an innocent creature loving you without expecting anything in return. She was no ordinary chicken. She played with me, kept me company when I was alone in the house.

My baby boy would get excited seeing her roaming around the house even from the time he was just 4 months old. By then we wouldn't let her inside the house, since there was a new born baby. She adjusted to that change pretty well and quickly. My son would babble "gigi" and she would come running to see him. I used to think that some day my little one would run along and play with her. She was very gentle and good chicken.

But tragedy struck one evening, she was 2 and half years old. She still used to lay eggs. One evening, I found her dead on the courtyard. There was no noise, she didn't even cry, if she did we would have heard. There was no sign of any attack or struggle. She just lay there, limp. It broke my heart to see her like that. She was a part of our family. We lost her suddenly. We are still mourning her loss.

Gigi... We miss you a lot. You are the best chicken in the whole wide world. Thanks for everything you have done for us.

My Darling Dottie

by Zia
(Gold Coast, Australia)

I lost my precious girl Dottie just Saturday night. Dottie was a Pekin Bantam and I picked her up with 3 other chickens just last April following the loss of my hen Thelma who left behind her best friend Louise, a silver laced Wyandotte. Dottie was absolutely gorgeous, the smallest of my three Pekin Bantam hens, and she quickly stole my heart.

I started a blog on Instagram when I got them called My Little Chicken Family and it is on this blog that I document their lives through photos and videos. I didn't realise how special that would be to me until Dottie fell ill.

My beautiful girl became so pale and weak, to the point she was sleeping all the time. I rushed her to my local avian vet and for we established that she was suffering from anemia. We started treatment and for a week she was at the vet's, being nursed back to health.

She came home for a few days, but had to go back when she grew weak again. It was then we did X-Rays and blood tests which showed she had an impaction in her stomach. It wasn't surgical, so we had to try and treat her non-invasively.

She stayed there for a little while longer before coming home and for the time she lived in my house. My daily routine involved waking up early to go and take the coverings off her cage in the spare bedroom, giving her a snuggle and weighing her. I became even more attached, I documented it all. She looked to be improving however I was still always stressing. Over the next few weeks she got weaker again, and eventually tired.

I made the decision to take her back to the vet because my beautiful girl was suffering. She was in pain and I couldn't make it better any other way than to put her to sleep. It was the toughest decision, but we drove her to the vet and I cuddled her all the way, she sat in my lap. I held her as she went to sleep and cried at her loss. I'm still so sad, but I'm glad my beautiful girl had a wonderful life, even if it was cut short.

She was the most beautiful hen, she enjoyed chasing bugs, eating meal worms, naps in the sun and cuddles with her humans. I love her dearly and miss her terribly.

So, little Dot Dot, I hope you sleep sweet my dear and may you rest in peace. I know you're up there with Thelma, Blackie and Whitie.