Dear 小雪and 小墨

by Sophia
(United States, Pennsylvania)

This is a memorial for 2 of my hens. They were silkie chickens who came in a batch of 5. After having to give away 3/4 roosters in our previous batch, we paid extra to get hens (we weren't allowed roosters in our town). In that batch, there was 1 rooster, who we had to give away.

1. The white Silkie we named 小雪 or Little Snow - direct translation, was best friends with another white Silkie. They were the bestest of friends, we used to joke about how they wouldn't know how to survive without each other.

On April 1st, 2024, Little Snow died in her coop sitting next to her best friend. She displayed no signs of pain a couple hours ago and it was very unexpected. She died around 1pm that day and I buried her that night. What hurts the most is seeing her best friend being forced to live without her - she only has one other hen left.

The first couple days without Little Snow hurt her best friend 大白 so much. She would sit by the area that had the best view of Little Snow's grave (even though it had wet pine shavings). She would call out for her and even though Little Snow died next to her, it still took her days to process.

I'm writing this 8 days after and her best friend 大白 has been a lot better, she has been more active and even took a dust bath today. I really hope my only 2 hens die at the same time or never.


2. In the same batch, we had 2 black Silkies, 2 white Silkies, and 1 yellow Silkie rooster (which we gave away). One of the black Silkies, we named 小墨 or Little Ink. She was quite low maintenance and was well-behaved.

Her death is all my fault. I was sitting in the backyard watching them free range (this was in the winter) and I didn't keep up with them. I let them out of my sight and a fox took her. I tried to chase it down but it slid through a fence in my neighbor's yard. I can still remember the painful scream she let out when she was taken by the fox.

Little Ink - I'm so sorry, I love you so much.
She died December 23, 2023.

They were both about 1 years old.

Our beautiful girls, Winnie and Nellie

by Stephanie
(Manchester, UK)

6 years ago we adopted 3 beautiful Pekin bantam chicks, Cookie, Winnie, and Nellie. They were 12 weeks old and we instantly fell in love with all their individual, quirky personalities.

Unfortunately, after a year we found our gorgeous girl Cookie passed away, inside the coop. There was no sign of injury. We believe she passed peacefully due to a health condition we were unaware of. I was distraught but it made me even more protective of our other two, a grey hen named Nellie and a copper named Winnie. They were completely inseparable.

Over the years those chickens free roamed my garden, played with my dog, laid delicious eggs, came to visit me in my kitchen daily in the summer months. I welcomed my daughter in 2020 and they were fascinated. She loved feeding them treats in the garden.

At dusk I would lock them in their secure coop, and late morning I would release them back into the garden. If I was at work a family member would let them out of their coop so they could free range.

This Friday, 22nd March, I returned home from work and could not see them anywhere in the garden. They had escaped once or twice over the years, but I always found them in the neighbour's garden and they would never stray far from the house.

I instantly got my dog on his lead. He was their friend and I know he would sniff them out if I couldn’t find them. We frantically began searching for them – high, low, anywhere you could possibly think of. We searched places I know they would never venture but I was still hopeful. This went on for an hour and as it started to go dark I returned to the garden calling them. Nothing.

I went right to the back of my garden where there are holly bushes – and that’s when I saw them. Piles of grey feathers, a trail of them. And my worst fears were realised.

A fox. A fox in broad daylight had taken my beautiful girls. I have been crying daily for 5 days, I’m so glad I found this page as I’m feeling grief that not many would understand.

I miss them so much it is painful. 6 years of love and joy taken in an instant and in the most horrific way possible. I just take comfort that they were together like they always were, and I hope it was quick.

I didn't expect to feel the grief I do, and I know time will heal, but at the moment I’m overcome with pain.

Thanks for letting me share and it brings me comfort to read your stories on here.

Hei-Hei

by Rachel

She was a sweet ISA brown hen. She was always the one who would come to me for treats, run to me when I called her, and was always the one who loved to talk.

We had her for just over a year, when she became seriously sick. We didn’t know what to do, so we brought her inside after she was sick for days. We believed she was egg bound (we still don’t know what caused it) and gave her a bath.

She stayed in our house for her last day, when we decided that she needed to see a vet. There was only one vet that would treat chickens and it was a bit of a drive, but we got her there. We had to drop her off and leave.

When we got home, we got the heart wrenching call that she passed. We got her back and buried her.

It’s been almost a year since she passed as it was March 28. 2023. I haven’t eaten any chicken since, as it was so painful.

Shout out to Hei-Hei! She was one of the best hens and she will always be in my heart.

I don’t know that I have any advice for owners who have lost their chicken, just something that helped heal the wound was being with the other chickens. It took me a day before I could go out to the coop, but it really did help.

Dr. Phil, my mom's bantam chicken

by Sunny
(Florida USA)

I purchased Dr. Phil in March, 2022. He was so tiny! My mom came to visit in April and I have a lovely picture of her holding tiny Dr. Phil, so I decided he would be her chick.

Dr. Phil turned out to be a fine rooster. He was beautiful, and took good care of our hens. I loved him so much, and so did my mom.

In December, 2022, my mom passed away. Twelve days after my mom died, Dr. Phil was attacked by a coyote and died protecting his hens.

I will tell you that I cried like a baby. Losing my mom, then Dr. Phil, her little rooster.

I hope they're both in heaven together. ❤️

Girly xx

by Kelly Jayne
(UK, Sheffield )

Girly my beautiful rescue hen passed away in my arms. The pain is real and my heart is broken.

She was my shadow and enjoyed sleeping on my lap. She loved the garden, her dustbaths and lettuce. It has been an honour knowing, caring and loving her. She was so gentle and enjoyed classical music.

Chickens really are the most wonderful creatures. My life won't be the same. Girly stole my heart.

Sleep well, I love you x

Hennifer

by Pat
(Concord)

Henny just died today. No warning. No symptoms. Just passed.

She was 10 months old. A beautiful Buff Orpington. She was the biggest of our three girls, and we think head hen. We never knew for sure as they always seemed to get along very well.

She was friendly. Loved worms! I wish I knew why she died.

I will miss her.

Jewels

by Jewels
(Havelock Nc )

She was very beautiful Americauna and this morning I found her in the coop. She had passed.

She was 4 years old, she died for no obvious reason.

She will be missed!

R.I.P. Jewels.

Dearest George

Having you since a little chick, then becoming the surprise rooster of the flock of 6.

We had our ups and downs with you. The small, numerous fights we had – but then you make us smile again with your two step moves and funny crows. Your loud crowing in the morning and when dad came into the yard. All these things will be kept in my heart.

Losing you to that fox made me see how you protected so dearly the ladies in your life. You did the job God created you for. I’m so sorry I wasn’t there to help you.

I will take your place and protect as well as I can the hens and we will always keep you in our hearts. We love you and know the sun will always shine on your beautiful feathers in heaven.