Zorro and Heidi: Together Forever

by Faith
(USA)

Heidi and Zorro werey first Bantam pair ever. They were a pair of Old English Game bantams that I purchased at a local poultry show. The two were an inseperable pair and whereever one went, so did the other. If I took one out of the pen, the other would begin to cluck loudly and freak out.

Heidi was a sweet hen. She always enjoyed to come and sit with you. Me and my sister would often go and sit in the chicken coop and play card games or read and she would come and hop up on my shoulder. Heidi was also and unusual hen. She never laid eggs, she had a spur, and she tried to "crow". She never succeeded in achieving rooster consistency though. Her favorite treats were meal worms and bread slices.

Zorro was always sweet to Heidi, making sure she got the best food and would protect her from the big hens and other Bantam rooster (Frieda, Delilah, and Eli). Zorro could be slightly aggressive with humans and had a tendency to spur but I knew he was only looking out for his girl. He also would crow a lot making sure my big rooster, who was in another pen nearby, knew who was boss.

Zorro sadly passed away in a racoon massacre. I lost five birds in that fateful attack. It picked off the 3 of the hens first during the day. The I came home from school the next day and he was not in the pen. I then checked the tree where he sometimes would fly to and he wasn't there. I then realized what happened. Heidi was having a fit and was clucking like crazy in the hen house.

Sadly after that Heidi began to be beat up by the other hens. I decided to divide my hen house and section of a piece of the pen for her. She was not herself much anymore. She would hide, would bite, and was extremely flighty. After a while she began to adjust.

About a month later however, Heidi passed away from unknown causes. The day before she acted fine. She was running, clucking,eating, and everything normal. No signs of sickness, disease or injury. The next day I went to let the chickens out before school. I opened her door and poked my head in to look on the roost were she usually is. Not seeing her there I went to the nesting box and sadly found her passed away on her back.

My mother and I buried her out behind the coop were my other birds now rest in peace. I do know now she can be happy up in chicken heaven with her Zorro.