Adele, Chicken Lady, Feb. 18?, 2009 - Sept. 8, 2009
Adele died sometime yesterday, most likely before I got home. When I went out to bring the ladies in, I looked all over for her, till Jen said she was under the coop. She didn't come out for her evening grain, so I felt for her and she was cold.
Jen brought me gloves and a bag, and I picked her up and took her out of sight of the other chickens. I looked at her and felt her body all over and could find no sign of any trauma. I don't know what happened to her. If any of the others die, I'll take them to the ag extension about an hour away for a necropsy. I washed out the water bucket and set it out to dry and filled up a different one. I tipped out all the grain (pouring one out for the homechicken?) and put new hay down in the pen.
I feel OK about it. She wasn't a pet; she was a farm animal, and her death doesn't feel like a pet's death. I do hope her death wasn't bad. I am glad she managed to get under the coop, so she might have had a bit of peace.
I did miss her from the flock this morning. I kept them in, just in case. I hope everyone is OK today.
Goodbye, Adele. You were my bitchy, bossy, hawk-headed chicken with the prettiest blue eggs. I knew you from a day old. You used to get in my way when I filled up the waterers. We will remember you.