Sweet Ree Ree

by Kim
(Pennsylvania, USA)

Our original flock came to us in December of 2019. We have gotten chicks since and raised them as well. (We loved being able to submit that experience to your chick blog. Was titled "Joy During the Pandemic")

Ree Ree, named by my 9 year old daughter, was definitely at the bottom of the pecking order. She was a little Rhode Island Red who was the smallest in the group.

One thing I have learned is that whoever is picked on, tends to try to pick on newer members of the flock. Makes sense I guess because if they can at least be somewhere in the middle, that's not so bad.

Ree Ree decided that humans would be her substitute bottom of the pecking order for quite a while. Every so often, she would unexpectedly charge at one of us and go after our legs. I had read that showing them that you are the "rooster" so to speak was a way to show an aggressive hen who's the boss by holding them down briefly as a way to counteract that. Ree never got that memo. It only made her more defiant and more eager to go after us.

Just when I was starting to really dislike her, something about her vulnerability touched my heart. She was the only hen I could let out to free range who would leave my flowerbeds alone.

We started fussing over her, giving her a few extra treats, kind of made her feel like the favorite. And she actually became just that... our favorite hen.

As in the pic, one time when she was on the front porch, I opened the door and she walked in to take a look at what the "big coop' was all bout. She didn't walk around or anything, just surmised the place and went back outside. She really changed and became almost pet like. She preferred people to other chickens and being the favorite, that was okay by us.

This summer was very hot and around August Ree started looking under the weather with what I think was vent gleet. We took measures to treat her by isolating her, giving her epsom salt soaks, treating the vent area with Vetericyn and apple cider vinegar in her water. It seemed to work because in a couple days she perked up and was back to her old self.

It seemed to return again this week. We did all of the things we tried before. She didn't seem to perk up quite like she did before, but thought maybe just needed another day or so.

She died overnight. Makes me so sad and we will miss our favorite hen.

I haven't been able to find any avian vets near me, but I have heard there are virtual visits as an option. I wish I would have done more. All I can say is that there is a learning curve to raising chickens and that maybe I will be more capable in the future in dealing with ailments.

Our sweet Ree will be missed.