Rest in peace Whitie

I went out this morning to let the chikens out and Whitie was dead in the poop box,she was two and my favorite of the laying hens so friendly.She was the one I called the earring eater from last fall although I`m not sure she got my earring that day it may have fallen in the shavings.She allways helped me when cleaning the poop boxes out she would put her head in the pail and talk,she will be missed.I think she died in her sleep because when I picked her up her head was still tucked in her chest and her eyes were closed.

Oh Green, I am so sorry, I know the loss and hurt you're feeling. We have lost a few hens the last month or so and two were so special to me. It's funny how attached we get to them and how much we miss them. They do each have their own personalities. She was beautiful Green.

I am so sorry too, Green. They are so much more than "just a chicken" and their bond with humans can be strangely beautiful. She was a very lucky girl.

I am so sorry

Oh, dear, I am sorry for your loss! She does look friendly in that photo. What breed of chicken was she if I might ask?

She was an EE

No getting around it, this is a sad day. It's also the toughest part of the fond relationship we share with these beautiful birds. Your loss and pain is well shared by all of us who love you and your birds...Hay

I'm so sorry to hear that! The bond we share with our chickens is pretty amazing.

Wonder why she died. I've read they can live to be 15 years old.

Don`t know those things happen and we never know why.

Unfortunately I lost one of my hens last night (Buff Brahma, a little over a year old). I found her in her nesting box this morning. She was fine last night when I checked on all and shut the coop door for the night. She had gone broody and I had taken her eggs away several times, but she just kept going back to the nesting box and laying more. The food was just a step away and I had filled the water twice on Saturday and Sunday so that they all could have fresh water even if they didn't run out of water (they usually do get watered twice a day). It was a hot day. I have shade cloth up and ice bottles in the run. I don't know if she just wasn't eating/drinking, she got too hot, or something else. I don't think she got too hot because one of the other hens would not leave her side for days and she was sitting in the next box over this morning when I found the dead hen. She kept coowing and watched me take here friend away and then went out to the run. All of the rest of the hens look fine. Perky in fact. So I have my fingers crossed here at work this morning that all is well at the house!

Green04735, I hope our two hens rest in peace! And I hope it doesn't happen again for a good long time!

Sad to hear of your loss. I have had a number of hens die for no apparent reason - in fact that is the way most of them have been lost. I always wish I knew why but...(?) At least you know she didn't suffer some long and painful illness and that you gave her a good life.

Thanks, porkpal. Its just hard to know what to say. I feel the most sorry for her pal who wouldn't leave her. They must have looked out for each other or something. She didn't want to leave the coop so before I left for work I pushed her out, shut the door and gave her a giant worm I found on one of my tomato plants. All for her own. My son will opened the coop door about an hour later.

I had rabbits years ago, and one died for no reason that I could see. Then, a few weeks later I met a woman that raised show rabbits. She said rabbits die when cold fronts come through an area, which is exactly what had just happened in my area when my rabbit died.

Maybe chickens are sensitive to the same type of things.

I am often affected by weather fronts too. Recently it has also been from so much rain, and water under my house.... hopefully I can get some better drainage around my house this year. When we get a rough cold front, I can feel sick for a few days beforehand too.

There is so much we don't know.

True!