my beautiful Molly died today. . .she was a lovely little chicken who laid every day and her and Maisy were inseparable. . . .my dad went out to let them out of their coop and she hadn't come downstairs so he looked inside and thought she was laying. . .she didn't look at him or open her eyes so he thought she was asleep but she would normally wake up and look at you and she didn't so he touched her and she didn't move so he lifted her out

I cried so much when he told me . ..I haven't seen her. . . I didn't want to . . .poor baby

now we are forced to get another chicken because Maisy will be terribly lonely since she doesn't like the ducks. . . . I hope she wouldn't think we are replacing her. . .just for Maisy's sake we have to get another. . .I'm thinking of getting one that looks absolutely nothing like her like a white one so it isn't so sad

I am dreading it because tomorrow it is me who is off work and I have to be the one to let Maisy out of the coop and Molly wont be there

I keep crying about it and I feel silly because she was a chicken but she was a pet more than anything. . . she was only 18 months old. . .

some family friends who keep a lot of chickens have said that this sometimes happens and there is no apparent cause. . . Maisy seems perfectly healthy but I'm going to disinfect the coop just in case there is anything harmful in there

my dad said it might have been the fireworks that were going off

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What sad news. I am so sorry.
It's only natural to be upset. She was your little pet and they all have their little ways.
It's a good idea to get another mate for Maisy. I have never had chickens but I think they like to have company like most speicies.
Hope Maisy will be ok until you find her a little friend.


R.I.P Molly and have fun at Rainbow Bridge xx

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thank you I feel a little better about it now because my boyfriend pointed out we didn't actually know for definite her age. . .she was clearly older than Maisy you could tell looking at her and she's never been a particularly healthy looking chicken (had a lot of problems with scaly leg mite and she lost a lot of feathers every so often. . . and then they grew back again. . .) so she was constantly being covered in powders or sprays or oil (on the leg mite) and as soon as the problems seemed to go away she got them back again even when you continued the treatment whereas Maisy has never really had any problems. . . so she might have been older than the farm that we got her from said she was. . . especially since she laid us an egg as soon as she got home. . .whereas Maisy hadn't even started to lay yet and didn't for a few weeks when we first got her

Molly was a tough bird though. . . their feed once attracted a rat. . . and she fought the rat . . . my dad had to actually run out and grab her because she was chasing it and attacking it and it bit her (she was okay) and scares like that normally make them stop laying. .. but instead the following morning there she was. . .laying us an egg haha

it is going to make me really sad to see one chicken pottering around since they liked to walk around together. . .until I can get her a friend but I think she will understand and wont look for her because unfortunately she had been shut in the run with her since she had died until my dad let them out (we all went to work before it got light. . . and so when that happens they just have access to their runs, food and water until someone comes home and they get access to the whole garden until it starts to go dark and they then retreat to their coop and we lock the door

It makes it easier that it is winter because it means we can just go to the farm and get one in the afternoon and put her in the coop at about 6pm as you're supposed to plonk a new one in under the cover of darkness and then they wake up together and get along. . .(so the theory goes)

but I do feel terrible for Maisy because they used to huddle up together in their coop so now she might get cold

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I am so sorry for your loss. I have never kept chickens, but think they are lovely, and very relaxing to listen to in the garden. And no matter what the animal is, they are missed when they go.

I definitely agree you should get another as soon as possible though, and I believe you are right about putting a new chicken in at night. I know the first few days could be a little rough for the new chicken, especially if you have more than one, as they have to fit into the pecking order etc. But with just one, hopefully this will not happen.

RIP Molly.

Molly was the ruler of the roost and we only had 2. . . . Molly used to be above Maisy and both of my ducks in the pecking order. . . but Maisy was also over the ducks. . . so hopefully it will mean that Maisy will be the leader and then the new chicken will just fit in under her. . . the ducks will never be any higher in the pecking order because they're only call ducks so they're very small and are easily bullied. . . so since the new chickens usually are low down in the pecking order to start with I think the new one will end up where Maisy was and Maisy will be where Molly was if that makes sense . . . . I think eventually though I will have to get my parents a bigger run (when me and my OH get a house the ducks are mine so they're coming with) and get them a couple more chickens anyway because then it is a little easier if anything happens they wont be left with just one alone again. . .

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it is going to make me really sad to see one chicken pottering around since they liked to walk around together. . .until I can get her a friend but I think she will understand and wont look for her because unfortunately she had been shut in the run with her since she had died until my dad let them out ([/QUOTE]



With them both being together at the end would have been fine. As Maisy would have said her good byes to her and would have realised she had died.

It is always best for a animal to see their friend that has just died so they know what has happened.
We have done this with our cats. It is sad but they need to know and grieve in their own little way.

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yeah she's not looking for her I've just been out and she's actually standing with the ducks hahahaha they're sharing food. . .whereas normally Molly would chase them off so her and Maisy could eat the food first. . .

my dog was with my other dog when he passed away but she still looked for him for months she would go on little strolls around the house where she looked dazed and she would look under the beds and things and she cried at night. . . but she doesn't understand most things anyway

I'm glad she's sharing with the ducks. . .hopefully when we get a friend for her she will share like that too

she's so soft she will let you pick her up and hold her and she follows you in through the door whereas Molly you had to chase her round to grab her to give her the treatment for all of her problems!!!

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It is very sad about Molly, but Maisy sounds adorable. I am sure characters can change depending on what other characters are around thenm - just like with people, animals change too - does that make sense? It is nice to see Maisy keeping in with the ducks.

I'm glad she is too. . . I went out and picked her up and gave her a cuddle haha I know that is a human thing that people need cuddles when bad things like this happen but it made me feel better even if it didn't make her feel any different

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