Another change.....

[Shirls]

in dynamics with the chooks. I am very sad to report that I lost Phoebe last Monday. She passed away through shock I am sure. Once again (after Morgana) she was my favourite chook. It's a bit of a saga to tell how she went, but I'm sure it was my next door neighbours fault - not that he knew or realised, and I wouldn't tell him. Phoebe was always a 'scaredy cat' and would run away scared of anything, even if I was carrying whatever it was. I was able to give her a cuddle before she went.


Rest in peace my little girl, meet up with your sister Morgana and give lots of love from us all to Georgie.

[OP]

Sorry to hear that Shirls. You have had quite a time with your chooks. They seem as delicate as budgies at times.

[jellybean]

Oh Shirls, I am so sorry, no one could look after their chooks any better than you, and yet you seem to be so unlucky.
Rest In Peace Phoebe x

[suesbird]

I'm so sorry Shirls, they will be scratching around together again.

[milliej]

Oh Shirls I'm so sorry

[ffiscool]

I am so sorry. RIP Phoebe

[Deleted]

So sorry. RIP little one xxx

[skysmum]

Ohhh no , im sorry shirls, she was a beautiful girl. RIP little Phoebe.

[Hezz]

I can only add my own commiserations to what the others have said. Rest in peace, Phoebe. You were such a beautiful girl. xxx

Shirls, are you able to tell us just what happened? Only if you want, of course.

[Shirls]

Ok Hezz. This is going to sound so very silly. My chickens scare at the most stupid things, but Buffs being so laid back they just run and hide, the coloured Orpingtons though it is a different story. My next door neighbour has brought home a dinghy/boat. He has dismantled the mast and it was laying in the garden for him to do whatever he was doing to it. However, when he picked it up it loomed up in the air at such a great height all the chooks ran for cover terrified!

I have said before Phoebe was a real 'scaredy cat'. You only had to lift a plank of wood and she was off at great speed, and ran for cover.

I talked to all the chooks and carried on working out in the garden and Pheobe and her mate Bea wandered out and I thought they were OK. The other three buffs didn't come out for ages. Then I noticed Phoebe was panting with beak open and just sitting, squat. She wouldn't have supper (it was late in the afternoon that all this happened). I cuddled her for a while, talking to her but she didn't improve. So I made a bed for her indoors and brought her in, covered her up (it was their bed time). I was in bed just going to sleep when she flapped and tipped the bed over. It was her last flap, and she had passed away. So that's the sad story.

I wonder now whether all chickens are scared at the slightest things. I know Buff Orpingtons are very placid and laid back, however some times if a very loud bird calls and flies low over the garden they do get a bit freaked.

[samwiseg]

Awww bless Phoebe - such sad news my thoughts are with you and your flock xx

[Hezz]

That is so sad, Shirls. Poor, poor little Phoebe. I really hate to think that she was scared enough of such a simple happening to have basically scared herself to death. Bless her timid little heart. xxxxx Really makes you wonder whether something had happened to her in the past to make her so frightened.
Hugs to you, too, Shirls ......

[Shirls]

Thanks everyone for your sympathies and thank you Hezz. Pheobe was quite young when I got her, with her sister and she was bred and lived with loads of other chickens, ducks, geese etc. about and only had a couple of months there. It seems chickens just do get scared sometimes.

[Hezz]

It would seem so, poor girl. xx

[milliej]

Crumbs well I never knew that! My daughters neighbour keeps chickens in an small open plot behind their flats down in Oxfordshire and kites are quite common down there - the birds of prey that is but they wouldn't attack live birds that size would they?