It is sad when one loses a pet, especially one so adorable as Edwina. She was our favourite hen (tear).
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| Edwina Chicken last year |
She passed away this morning after slowly going downhill over the last week. As she was five years old, it was just her time. There were no visible signs of illness.
ISA Brown chooks only live for between 5 – 8 years because of their extreme egg laying capabilities and lack of heavy moulting.
Edwina laid eggs up until about two weeks before she died, and was productive to the end. She loved to be picked up and be in our company. Never flighty, and tame as could be.
Call us sentimental fools, but even though she was just a backyard hen, it felt like she was part of the family. I have been melancholy all day, which I suppose is just part of being human.
You will be missed my fine feathered friend. So long, and thanks for all the eggs.
Aw, that’s so sad. Of course you would be sad, she sounds like a lovely chooky.
Cheers – Joolz
Thanks Joolz x
I had a pet hen as a child – Henrietta – I remember her fondly 30 years later – I could and did pick her up and carry her round –
Hugs
xxx
RIP Edwina. She looked great Gavin & I’m sure she lived a happy and much loved life. Best. 🙂
So sorry to read bout Edwina, Gav. It is amazing how chickens can become such a part of the family. Their antics are a constant source of amusement around here. Take care. X
Not your typical pet, funny how some of them through their special personality creep into your heart. When we lived on our farm we had a cow who would lie down to be patted by our then 1 and 7 year old son’s. I still miss her. RIP Edwina.
We lost our three year old silver-laced Wyandotte, Annabel, a few months back. She just wasn’t acting like herself, then slowly declined further until she was in such a bad way that my girls finally talked me into taking her to the vet. She did not come home again. 🙁
Because we have a flock of 25 birds, and have had contagious illness like Bird Pox hit our flock (transmitted from the migrating ducks that frequent our bog), we felt it prudent to have a necropsy done to determine what happened to Annie, and whether or not it put other birds at risk.
She turned out to have had kidney cancer, which metastasized to her liver. There was nothing we could have done, and no way that we know of to have prevented it. It was hard to hear, but also reassuring in its own way – it was just her time. She had a really great 3 years with us, not a lot of hennies get so much time these days.
Our birds are no less special to us than any other critter on our little farm. They are sweet little things, I’m not surprised that your family fell for their charms too.
I know how you feel. All birds and animals have their own little personality and we go grieve for them when they die. Non-animal owners/lovers think we are weird!!
how sad. So sorry. Pets are family. And they are so characterful, with their little ways.
Aww Gavin, so sorry that you lost one of your hens. They are such little personalities, some tamer than others. Feeling melancholy over it is a normal reaction from an animal loving softie like yourself!
Jo in Auckland
Sorry to hear that, not least because she had such a great name. RIP Edwina.