True stories of a small flock of remarkable individuals -- and other critters.



Saturday, April 3, 2010

CHANGE

Continued from the previous post: CHICKENS AND A TERRIER 


Hatsy.
She was our little dynamo.


Curious, energetic.
She was the undisputed and beloved leader.


Hatsy was quite the adventurer.




She was.......flexible.
(I love this picture.)




She was Lucy's dear, dear friend.


I'm so sad still.


Sad because to observe their beautiful friendship was to understand that we're really all the same.


I will miss witnessing the support and compassion these two showed each other.


Hatsy had suffered on and off from some sort of illness for several months, but she'd always perked right back up. I wrote about her symptoms in the post, MEET THE GIRLS: HATSY.
But this time Hatsy had been sick for a week, and I felt that she might be on her way  out. The morning before she died, Hatsy stood in the corner of the coop, face toward the wall.


I was watching the flock from the kitchen window, and noticed that something was different.  
Lucy and Lil'White stood close to Hatsy.  Roosterman in his little cage outside the coop was just standing too.  He didn't crow or strut. Lucy and Lil'White weren't scratching around, weren't doing anything.


The flock knew.   
This little vigil lasted an hour or two.   
Then they left Hatsy alone and resumed their business, quietly scratching around, looking for bits of corn...


Hatsy died the next day.  


I wrapped her beautiful little body in a blue and white dishtowel.  Lucy and Lil'White helped me bury her.
...well, I dug the hole while they ate the worms.    They showed no sentiment, didn't stop to look at Hatsy's body wrapped in its little shroud.   Lucy and Lil'White had already paid their respects the day before.  When they'd enjoyed the last worm at the graveside, they moved on.  


The next morning I moved on too.  


Two hens do not make a flock.  The girls needed a third.  And I needed to stop crying.
I hopped into the car and drove off in search of a hen.  
Returned an hour later with a little box tied shut with twine.  




















Next blog entry: PIGEON THE CHICKEN

11 comments:

  1. I'm sorry to learn that Hatsy lost her battle. I have a little pullet that I'm nursing back to health (hopefully!) and I know how attached to them we become.

    I can't wait to meet Pigeon...

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  2. Awwww... very sad about Hatsy. Its sad when anything happens to one of your chickens. I'm excited to meet Pigeon too.

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  3. Oh that breaks my heart. I am so sorry for your loss. Thank you for sharing with us. I too look forward to meeting Pigeon.

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  4. Sighhhhh, ........................ I'm sorry. If I'm crying now over a hen I never met, what will I do when my little "week olds" have to pass on. :( I will take a lesson from the flock,......and move forward. You know..., I think the most beautiful thing I learned from your story is that we need to "pay our respects" so to speak while our good friends are living, not after they are gone.

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  5. I'm so sorry about Hatsy. I look forward to "meeting" Pigeon, and am wiping away tears for Hatsy (& you!).

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  6. I am so sorry to read about Hatsy. But she had a wonderful farewell and a wonderful life. I know you will miss her. But I can't wait to hear more about pigeon.

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  7. Hi, I'm new to your blog and I've been really enjoying it. Are you nervous about introducing a new chicken to your little flock? I have three chickens and always wonder what we'll do if we have to replace one - well not "replace" one, but you know... I worry about starting with just one chick... Good luck. Can't wait to meet pigeon!

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  8. Was sent here by a friend who is a huge fan of yours...and I can see why. I am sorry to hear of the loss of poor Hatsy. But she is never really and truly GONE since she will always possess a piece of your heart.

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  9. I know this isn't a recent post, but I just read it. I'm now crying over a chicken I've never met.

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  10. Where do you get your chickens?!?!!?? I'm searching for a place in MA with baby pullets!!!

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