or
type:
Silver
Campine
Hatched
23rd September 2000,
died 16th June 2001,
aged almost 9 months.
Culled due to
Fowl Cholera
Kuritsa was a very intelligent
and inquisitive chick
(an escape artist who loved to fly out
of her box and explore the room),
who grew up into an
extraordinarily friendly hen.
She would follow me
around in the garden,
repeatedly making eye contact
and crouching
to be picked up, and
when picked up, would chatter away
and hold a sort of
human-chicken conversation.
On the day that she was due
to be culled, she hid
underneath piles of plastic
bags in the shed
- she obviously knew
what was going on
and didn't want to be a part of it.
Intelligent little Kuritsa
will not be forgotten.
Kuritsa, 25th September 2000
Kuritsa 19th April 2001
Cross-bred,
with
Spangled
Leghorn
father and
cross-bred
bantam
mother
Hatched
15th October 1998,
Died
16th June 2001,
aged
approx.
3 years.
Culled due to
Fowl Cholera
Roadkill was one of the first
chicks we hatched out ourselves,
with the help of
Michael Caine Alan Partridge Brahma.
Roadkill had leg and foot
problems as a chick,
and so needed special attention.
She lived in the house for a few months
while her bad legs and foot recovered,
and went to live outside again
once she had recovered.
Roadkill was incredibly intelligent,
and very determined.
She even came to visit us one day,
remembering her way to
the back door and pecking it to be let in.
Intelligent and determined little
Roadkill will not be forgotten.
Roadkill, 24th September 1998
Roadkill, 11th August 2000
Ex-Battery
hen
(ISA
Brown)
Rescued from
Battery Farm on
31st October 1998;
probably hatched
sometime during
Autumn 1996 / Spring 1997.
Died 16th June 2001,
aged approximately
5 and a half years
Culled due to
Fowl Cholera
After spending the first part of
her life in a battery cage,
she was rescued and spent the next
three years living in the garden.
9-Volt spent many happy years as
a top bird in the pecking order,
often the first in command
.. She was also a friendly,
incurably inquisitive bird
who would often crouch next to me,
asking to be picked up and stroked.
She was so friendly that she was always
shown as a prime example
of a happily rescued
battery hen when explaining
about the chickens to interested visitors.
She was also an oddity in that
she had crowed like a cockerel
on several occaisions,
and she had also grown
spurs on both legs.
Odd little 9-Volt
will not be forgotten.
9-Volt 21st January 2001
Ex-Battery
hen
(ISA
Brown)
Rescued from
Battery Farm on
31st October 1998;
probably hatched
sometime during
Autumn 1996 / Spring 1997.
Died 16th June 2001,
aged approximately
5 and a half years
Culled due to
Fowl Cholera
Duracell endured a lot in her life.
After spending the first part
of her life in a battery cage,
she was rescued and spent the next
three years living in the garden.
When first rescued,
Duracell had a bald back
with a large raw and bleeding wound on it.
She had also been so severely debeaked,
that it never grew back properly.
However, after her
wounds had healed she
spent many happy years as a top bird
in the pecking order.
She was also a friendly, inquisitive bird
who didn't mind being
picked up and stroked.
She was so friendly that
she was always shown
as a prime example of a happily rescued
battery hen when explaining about the
chickens to interested visitors.
Friendly little Duracell
will not be forgotten.
Duracell 15th February 1999
Duracell sunbathing 29th April 1999
Silver
Campine
23rd September 2000,
died 16th June 2001,
aged almost 9 months.
Culled due to
Fowl Cholera
Kura, 25th September 2000
Kura, 19th April 2001
Black
Jersey
Giant
Bought Saturday
21st August 1999,
8 weeks old.
Died
16th June 2001,
aged 2 years.
Culled due to
Fowl Cholera
Little Wing was a gentle, tame and curious bird who liked to investigate things, and regularly crouched to be picked up.
Little Wing won Third Prize in
the Large Fowl Heavy Breed Female Class
and her eggs won First Prize
at Stroud Show, July 2000.
She won Second Prize at
Painswick Show, August 2000.
Little Wing, 11th January 2000
Exchequer
Leghorn
Bought Saturday
21st August 1999,
8 weeks old.
Died
16th June 2001,
aged 2 years.
Culled due to
Fowl Cholera
She always crouched to be picked up when approached.
Ashley will not be forgotten.
Ashley, 11th January 2000
Aquired on Friday 25th May, age unknown.
Died
16th June 2001,
age unknown
Culled due to
Fowl Cholera
I didn't get to know Fakey very well, as she and Cab, had only been here for a short while before they tragically had to be culled.
Fakey was a very flightly, nervous bird with beautiful gold-spangled plumage, who would often be found perched in a tree at chickens' bedtime.
Fakey will not be forgotten.
Fakey 27th May 2001
Aquired on Friday 25th May, age unknown.
Died
16th June 2001,
age unknown
Culled due to
Fowl Cholera
I didn't get to know Cab very well, as she and Fakey, had only been here for a short while before they tragically had to be culled.
After her first week or so here, Cab became less nervous, and a little more inquisitive. She even let me pick her up a couple of times.
A cute, round-bodied bird, Cab will not be forgotten.
Cab 27th May 2001
White
Silkie
Bought Sunday 4th March 2001,
6 weeks old.
Died
16th June 2001
Culled due to
Fowl Cholera
Dave Gorman was our first Silkie. Nervous as a pullet, she grew more confident as a hen, and wouls crouch to be picked up. Her plumage was amazingly soft and furry.
Dave the little Silkie will not be forgotten.
Dave Gorman, 27th May 2001
23rd September 2000,
died 16th June 2001,
aged almost 9 months.
Culled due to
Fowl Cholera
Pivnyk on the settee, 2nd November 2000
Partridge
Brahma
an old hen on
30th May 1998,
died 16th June 2001,
aged approximately
five and a half years.
Culled due to
Fowl Cholera
Micheal Caine Alan Partridge Brahma was a very good hen, well behaved and non-troublesome. She went broody and stayed broody, so we gave her some fertile eggs, which she successfully hatched, resulting in the two un-named chicks, plus Biscuit and Roadkill.
Michael Caine Alan Partridge Brahma
won First Prize
in the Large Fowl Heavy Breed Female Class
at Stroud Show, July 2000.
She also won the award for Best Female,
and the award for Best In Show.
She won Third Prize at
Painswick Show, August 2000.
Michael Caine Alan Partridge Brahma, 11th August 1999
Cream
Legbar
23rd September 2000,
died
16th June 2001,
aged almost 9 months.
Culled due to
Fowl Cholera
Moojee, 9th October 2000
Cream
Legbar
23rd September 2000,
died
16th June 2001,
aged almost 9 months..
Culled due to
Fowl Cholera
Pita, 28th October 2000
Cream
Legbar
23rd September 2000,
died
16th June 2001,
aged almost 9 months.
Culled due to
Fowl Cholera
Ceiliog sleeping, 24th September 2000
Ceiliog, 21st January 2001
Cream
Legbar
23rd September 2000,
died
16th June 2001,
aged almost 9 months.
Culled due to
Fowl Cholera
Kellagh, 24th September 2000
Kellagh, 22nd October 2000
Indian
Game
23rd September 2000,
died
16th June 2001,
aged almost 9 months.
Culled due to
Fowl Cholera
Sillyoggin 19th April 2001
Sillyoggin 24th September 2001
Barne-
velder
23rd September 2000,
died
16th June 2001,
aged almost 9 months.
Culled due to
Fowl Cholera
Alektor, 24th September 2000
Barne-
velder
23rd September 2000,
died
16th June 2001,
aged almost 9 months.
Culled due to
Fowl Cholera
Ayam Betina 28th October 2000
Bought Saturday
21st August 1999,
8 weeks old.
Died
16th June 2001,
aged 2 years.
Culled due to
Fowl Cholera
Flathead was a pretty bird, but she lacked intelligence. She had arthritic hips, and spent a lot of time sitting down.
Flathead won Second Prize in
the Large Fowl Light Breed Female Class
at Stroud Show, July 2000.
She also won Second Prize at
Painswick Show, August 2000.
Flathead will not be forgotten.
Flathead, 3rd April 2000
23rd September 2000,
died
16th June 2001,
aged almost 9 months.
Culled due to
Fowl Cholera
Jogoo, 18th October 2000
Ex-Battery
hen
(ISA Brown)
Rescued
from Battery Farm
on 14th July 1999;
probably hatched
sometime during
1997-8.
Died
16th June 2001,
aged approximately
4 and a half years.
Culled due to
Fowl Cholera
Professor Hawking, 9th September 1999
Ex-Battery
hen
(ISA Brown)
Rescued
18th November 2000,
aged approx 2 years.
Died
16th June 2001,
aged approx 3 years.
Culled due to
Fowl Cholera
When first rescued from the battery farm, Orange, Red and Grey multicoloured had a hugely distended abdomen. I thought that she was going to die, but she survived, laid well, and was a generally healthy bird.
Orange, Red and Grey multicoloured will not be forgotten.
Coming Soon...
Ex-Battery
hen
(ISA Brown)
Rescued
18th November 2000,
aged approx 2 years.
Died
16th June 2001,
aged approx 3 years.
Culled due to
Fowl Cholera
Coming Soon...
Ex-Battery
hen
(ISA Brown)
Rescued
18th November 2000,
aged approx 2 years.
Died
16th June 2001,
aged approx 3 years.
Culled due to
Fowl Cholera
Coming Soon...
Ex-Battery
hen
(ISA Brown)
Rescued
18th November 2000,
aged approx 2 years.
Died
16th June 2001,
aged approx 3 years.
Culled due to
Fowl Cholera
Coming Soon...
Ex-Battery
hen
(ISA Brown)
Rescued
18th November 2000,
aged approx 2 years.
Died
16th June 2001,
aged approx 3 years.
Culled due to
Fowl Cholera
Coming Soon...
Ex-Battery
hen
(ISA Brown)
Rescued
18th November 2000,
aged approx 2 years.
Died
16th June 2001,
aged approx 3 years.
Culled due to
Fowl Cholera
Coming Soon...
Ex-Battery
hen
(ISA Brown)
Rescued
18th November 2000,
aged approx 2 years.
Died
16th June 2001,
aged approx 3 years.
Culled due to
Fowl Cholera
Coming Soon...
Ex-Battery
hen
(ISA Brown)
Rescued
18th November 2000,
aged approx 2 years.
Died
16th June 2001,
aged approx 3 years.
Culled due to
Fowl Cholera
Coming Soon...
Ex-Battery
hen
(ISA Brown)
Rescued
18th November 2000,
aged approx 2 years.
Died
16th June 2001,
aged approx 3 years.
Culled due to
Fowl Cholera
Pink was a hen with a dominant personality. She was also very popular with the cockerels, as she would approach them constantly and crouch next to them, asking to be mated with.
Pink will not be forgotten.
Coming Soon...
Ex-Battery
hen
(ISA Brown)
Rescued
18th November 2000,
aged approx 2 years.
Died
16th June 2001,
aged approx 3 years.
Culled due to
Fowl Cholera
Red and Pink was an agressive bird, always bossing the other 'coloured ex-battery hens around.
Red and Pink will not be forgotten.
Coming Soon...
Ex-Battery
hen
(ISA Brown)
Rescued
18th November 2000,
aged approx 2 years.
Died
16th June 2001,
aged approx 3 years.
Culled due to
Fowl Cholera
Lilac took it upon herself to act as guardian for the eleven youngsters (Pivnyk, Jogoo, Ceiliog, Kellagh, Moojee, Pita, Sillyoggin, Kura, Kuritsa, Alektor, and Ayam Betina) when it was their time to join the main flock outdoors. Lilac spent all her time with the youngsters, and inststed on sleeping with them every night in the shed. She eventually became one of the wives of Ceiliog and Kellagh, the Cream Legbar brothers.
Lilac will not be forgotten.
Coming Soon...
Ex-Battery
hen
(ISA Brown)
Rescued
18th November 2000,
aged approx 2 years.
Died
16th June 2001,
aged approx 3 years.
Culled due to
Fowl Cholera
Coming Soon...
Ex-Battery
hen
(ISA Brown)
Rescued
18th November 2000,
aged approx 2 years.
Died
16th June 2001,
aged approx 3 years.
Culled due to
Fowl Cholera
Coming Soon...
Ex-Battery
hen
(ISA Brown)
Rescued
18th November 2000,
aged approx 2 years.
Died
16th June 2001,
aged approx 3 years.
Culled due to
Fowl Cholera
Coming Soon...
Ex-Battery
hen
(ISA Brown)
Rescued
18th November 2000,
aged approx 2 years.
Died
16th June 2001,
aged approx 3 years.
Culled due to
Fowl Cholera
Brown and Red was a sweet little bird with a creeping gait.
Brown and Red will not be forgotten.
Coming Soon...
Ex-Battery
hen
(ISA Brown)
Rescued
18th November 2000,
aged approx 2 years.
Died
16th June 2001,
aged approx 3 years.
Culled due to
Fowl Cholera
Coming Soon...
Ex-Battery
hen
(ISA Brown)
Rescued
18th November 2000,
aged approx 2 years.
Died
16th June 2001,
aged approx 3 years.
Culled due to
Fowl Cholera
Red had bright orangey, pale plumage, even lighter than Duracell's was when she first arrived. She was a very pretty little ex-battery bird.
Red will not be forgotten.
Red, 21st January 2001
Ex-Battery
hen
(ISA Brown)
Rescued
18th November 2000,
aged approx 2 years.
Died
16th June 2001,
aged approx 3 years.
Culled due to
Fowl Cholera
Orange was a very inquisitive and friendly hen. She would always follow me around to the point that she would get under my feet so much that she became annoying at times. She was odd in that the never moulted since being rescued from the battery farm, and therefore always looked exceedingly scruffy and untidy.
Orange will not be forgotten.
Coming Soon...
Brecon
Buff
goose
Culled (at Vet)
due to Fowl Cholera
who enjoyed collaborating in
whatever Pseudo-Swan
was doing, such as
shouting at buckets, and fending off
chickens from tasty morsels of food.
She was also a
very intelligent goose,
having learnt to wait
next to a sitting hen in order
to win an eggy snack.
Sian begrudgingly shares a marrow with the chickens, Autumn 1999
Embden
gander
Culled (at Vet)
due to Fowl Cholera
Pseudo-Swan was a
beautiful and brave gander,
always protecting his goose from
whatever was around.
He enjoyed attacking empty buckets,
and anything new which
appeared in the garden.
One night he even bravely
fought off a local badger,
and didn't let the badger hurt his goose,
even when it bit into his thigh,
leaving some nasty
badger-tooth wounds.
Pseudo-Swan will not be forgotten.
Pseudo-Swan, 25th October 1998
Pseudo-Swan taking a bath, 13th March 1999
Light
Sussex
Bought on
4th April 1998,
eight weeks old.
Died
5th June 2001,
aged approx 3 years.
by Vet, due to
large caseous mass
in intestines.
adventures in her life....
she escaped from a fox,
caught, killed and ate a frog,
and was firm friends with
Ernie, 9-Volt, Nicad
and Michael Caine Alan Partridge Brahma.
Alkacell and White Tara sharing a nestbox on 27th July 1999
Ex-Battery
hen
(ISA Brown)
Rescued
18th November 2000,
aged approx 2 years.
Died
5th June 2001,
aged approx 3 years.
by Vet, due to
impacted gizzard
Green
was a funny little bird.
Always friendly.
She
was odd, because she
only had one wattle.
Green will not be forgotten.
Ex-Battery
hen
(ISA Brown)
Rescued from
Battery Farm on
14th July 1999;
probably hatched
sometime during 1997-8.
Died
11th May 2001,
aged approximately
3 years.
During the beginning of 2001, she
began to show odd symptoms.
On 11th May 2001,
we could not stand to
see Professor Mendel
suffer any more, so
decided to cull her
to end her misery.
Her condition had worsened,
she could hardly walk, and her comb
and wattles had turned
so completely purple
that they were almost black.
Fowl Cholera
(Pasteurella multocida).
Mendel was always a
friendly little hen.
Professor Mendel
will not be forgotten
Professor Mendel and Professor Freud sunbathing on 6th June 2000
Ex-Battery
hen
(ISA Brown)
Rescued from
Battery Farm on
31st October 1998;
probably hatched
sometime during
Autumn 1996 / Spring 1997.
Died
15th January 2001,
aged approximately
4 and a half years
Nicad became ill
(fluffed, lethargic, weak and thin),
and despite my efforts
to make her well again,
on 15th January,
we couldn't bear to see her
suffer any more and took her
to the Vet for euthanasia.
Always a character,
Nicad will not be forgotten.
She enjoyed her trips to
the Stroud LETS allotment,
and had her own distinct
sense of humour
- like creeping up behind people
and pecking their backs,
then dodging out of the way
and trying her best to
look innocent when
the person turned
to see what had tapped them.
She also enjoyed eating slugs.
One day on the allotment when
I was planting onion sets,
she followed me along, neatly
pecking out each onion and
laying it neatly on the soil
next to its hole,
ready for me to plant it again.
Cheeky little Nicad
will not be forgotten.
Nicad, 15th February 1999
Nicad, 8th April 1999
Welsummer
Bought Saturday
21st August 1999,
8 weeks old.
Died during the night
of 12th November 2000,
aged 1 year 5 months.
of 12th November 2000.
Attilla the Hen did us proud
by winning Second prize
in the Large Fowl
Light Breeds section
at Painswick Show, 2000,
and Third Prize at
Stroud Show, 2000.
Nervy little Attilla,
with her strange voice
and brown eggs,
will not be forgotten.
Attilla the Hen (right), 11th January 2000
Ex-Battery
hen
(ISA Brown)
Rescued from
Battery Farm on
31st October 1998;
probably hatched
sometime during
Autumn 1996 / Spring 1997.
Died
7th October 2000,
aged approximately
4 years.
Became fluffed and
lethargic after suffering
and recovering from an
attack by the geese
which resulted in a badly broken leg,
later a broken wing, and
another attack by the geese.
Cause of death unknown, perhaps
due to stressful experiences.
Alkacell had an
extremely eventful life
after being rescued
from the battery farm.
She was always a very
friendly little chicken.
She was also very intelligent.
During her time convalescing
from her injuries she
lived in the house.
She quickly learnt her name, and
would come when
she was called.
Many thanks to all those who
sent Alkacell their good wishes
when she had her broken leg,
wing
and her various other
unfortunate accidents.
Little Alkacell was a dear little hen,
and will not be forgotten.
Alkacell 8th April 1999
Alkacell (with her leg in plaster) meeting Boggy the Chipmunk, 29th May 2000
Speckled
Sussex
Bought on
26th August 2000,
Died
4th September 2000
on 4th September 2000.
She never returned, and we
supposed that she had been
found and caught by
the local badgers.
Dookie
was bought
as a broody hen,
to incubate some eggs for us.
Though we didn't have Dookie
for very long,
she will not be forgotten.
Dookie, September 2000
Ex-Battery
hen
(ISA Brown)
Rescued from
Battery Farm on
31st October 1998;
probably hatched
sometime during
Autumn 1996 / Spring 1997.
Died
9th September 2000,
aged approximately
4 years
Saturday 9th September ,
Ever-Ready was
taken by a badger.
Ever-Ready
was another
characterful hen,
who especially enjoyed
eating ants.
She will not be forgotten.
Ever-Ready, February 1999
Ever-Ready and 9-Volt dustbathing during April 1999
Cream
Legbar
Bought in
August 1997;
hatched during
April or May 1997.
Died
30th August 2000,
aged approximately
3 years.
Unfortunately, today I noticed
that Ernie was
looking fluffed and lethargic.
I picked her up and examined her.
She felt very light, and had a pasted vent
and a nearly empty crop.
She was also very smelly.
She clucked at me weakly, and
made eye contact with me.
I brought her into the house, and
encouraged her to eat and drink.
But Ernie wasn't interested.
I was worried about her, and took a faecal
sample to the Vet for examination.
I gave Ernie some Reiki (Reiki is universal
life energy, and is a form of healing).
She sat on my lap, closed her eyes and
completely relaxed while I Reiki'd her.
When I placed my hand just above her head
she raised her head so
that it touched my hand,
so she was obviously enjoying it.
Unfortunately, Ernie
died during the evening.
She started having convulsions,
so I gently took her out of her box and
started to Reiki her while she rested in my arms.
The Reiki stopped the convulsions,
and a minute later Ernie died in my arms.
It was very upsetting -
but I'm glad that I was able to
give Ernie Reiki during her last moments,
and I'm sure that the Reiki helped her
to pass more peacefully.
Ernie was one of our first chickens,
so it was extremely sad to see her go.
Ernie will not be forgotten.
She was an exceptional chicken,
extremely intelligent,
and very attached to me.
She even ran to me for protection
when a fox attacked the flock
- she jumped over the gate
and into my arms. She was firm friends with The Little
Red Hen, and Ernie was very distressed when The Little Red Hen was
taken by the fox.
She would follow me around everywhere,
and would respond to her name.
Ernie won Second Prize
in the
Rare Breed Female Class
at Stroud Show, July 2000.
Ernie will be sadly missed,
and will not be forgotten.
Ernie, February 1998
Ex-Battery
hen
(ISA Brown)
Rescued from
Battery Farm on
14th July 1999;
probably hatched
sometime during
1997-8.
Died
14th August 2000,
aged approximately
3 years.
who was still coming though the garden at night,
had found his way into the Ark
and had taken Darwin.
Professor Darwin was
always a very friendly hen.
She would follow me about in the garden,
almost getting under my feet
and tripping me over sometimes.
She would always come and
investigate what I was doing, and would
always crouch to be picked up
whenever I walked past her.
She seemed to like being
picked up, and would let
me carry her about
completely relaxed
without struggling.
She was a lovely little bird,
and strange
because she went broody
for over six weeks,
an amazing amount of time (broodiness
has mostly been bred
out of battery hens).
Poor little Professor Darwin
will not be forgotten.
Professor Darwin, August 2000
Ex-Battery
hen
(ISA Brown)
Rescued from
Battery Farm on
31st October 1998;
probably hatched
sometime during
Autumn 1996 / Spring 1997.
Died
1st July 2000,
aged approximately
4 years
that Greencell had escaped with her friends
Biscuit and Professor Freud .
I searched and leafletted the area,
but to no avail.
The escaped birds must have been caught
by the local foxes and badgers.
Little Greencell will not be forgotten.
Greencell was an
intelligent bird - one day
she became trapped
in the garden shed,
and instead of
struggling and panicking,
calmly waited for me to rescue her.
She called me as soon as she
heard me come near the shed, and
sat perfectly still while I cut her free.
Read about it in the
March 2000 episode of the Flock diary
Greencell, January 1999
Greencell, 15th February 1999
Ex-Battery
hen
(ISA Brown)
Rescued from
Battery Farm on
14th July 1999;
probably hatched
sometime during
1997-8.
Died
9th September 2000,
aged approximately
3 years.
Professor Freud had escaped with
her friends Biscuit and Greencell.
I searched and leafletted the area,
but to no avail.
The escaped birds must have been caught
by the local foxes and badgers.
Professor Freud
will not be forgotten.
Professor Freud, July 1999
Cross-bred,
with
Spangled
Leghorn
father and
cross-bred
bantam mother
15th October 1998,
Disappeared
1st July 2000,
aged approx.
2 years.
that Biscuit had escaped with her
friends Greencell and Professor Freud.
I searched and leafletted the area,
but to no avail.
The escaped birds must have been caught
by the local foxes and badgers.
Biscuit was one of the chicks
which hatched in October 1998.
Biscuit was a very independant,
bright and characterful hen, with
a very distinctive harsh
but sing-song voice.
Little Biscuit will not be forgotten.
Biscuit, March 1999
Biscuit, 20th October 1998
Ex-Battery
hen
(ISA Brown)
Rescued from
Battery Farm on
14th July 1999;
probably hatched
sometime during
1997-8.
Died
23rd July 2000,
aged approximately
3 years.
Poor Professor Helm was
taken by a badger.
Professor Helm
will not be forgotten
Professor Helm, September 1999
Ex-barn hen
(ISA Brown)
Bought on
28th June1998
(hatched sometime
during 1997),
Died
13th December 1999,
approximately
2 years old
to discover that it was Prunella,
and her death was accidental.
I discovered her
drowned in the goosebath
at chickens' bedtime.
I was very upset,
as Pruie had been
around for a long time,
and had built up a
relationship with me.
She had learnt her name,
and would walk up to me
and crouch to be picked up when called
- she would even come and crouch to
be lifted up when she hadn't been called.
Once she had been picked up,
she would completely relax,
knowing that she was being held safely.
When she was fed up of being held,
she would look at me and cluck quietly,
asking to be put back on the ground.
She liked being taken on little tours,
and especially enjoyed her trips to
the Stroud LETS Allotment and
the Post Box around the corner.
I think she liked to be
lifted up because she
could see more of the
world from higher up,
so I buried her on the Common,
where she had a
good view of the surrounding
area, and the
places she enjoyed being
taken on visits to.
Little Prunella will not be forgotten.
Prunella sunbathing, March 1999
Ex-Battery
hen
(ISA Brown)
Rescued from
Battery Farm on
31st October 1998;
probably hatched
sometime during
Autumn 1996 / Spring 1997.
Died
5th December 2000,
aged approximately
4 years
to only 1400 grammes on December 5th,
where she was at a healthy 1775 grammes two
weeks ago on 23rd November.
She still wasn't interested in food, and
was too weak to stand
for more than a few minutes.
Most of the time she would just lie on
her side on the floor of the cage.
She looked as though she
was just waiting to die,
and her eyes told me that, too.
So we put Uniross out
of her misery and gave
her a diginified burial near
her old friend Varta.
Uniross was a characterful littl hen,
who would always take an interest in
what I was doing in the garden. She especially enjoyed eating slugs.
However, one day she
discovered the dangers
of her curiosity, when
she was accidentally hit
on the head with a brick, which
knocked her unconscious.
Amazingly she recovered completely,
though she had a
bruised face for a while.
Little Uniross will not be forgotten
Uniross on 8th April 1999,
Ex-Battery
hen
(ISA Brown)
Rescued from
Battery Farm on
31st October 1998;
probably hatched
sometime during
Autumn 1996 / Spring 1997.
Died
27th October 2000,
aged approximately
4 years
of October 1999,
Energiser (one of the first
batch of rescued
Battery Hens) deteriorated,
and became very ill.
Shortly after her rescue
on 31st October 1998 she
caught a cold, and lungworm,
which damaged her
lungs and left her with a
slight respiratory problem.
However, Energiser
continued to enjoy life and
held a high place in
the flock pecking order.
But, during October she
caught another cold and
her breathing problem
worsened so much
that she needed to be
brought into a hospital cage
in the house.
Poor Energiser could only sit
with closed eyes and beak open,
making a huge effort
just to take a breath of air.
Each time she breathed in and out she
made a horrible rasping noise.
Her weight plummeted, and she looked
thoroughly miserable.
We couldn't bear to see her
in that state, so we decided
to take her to the Vet for euthanasia.
Unfortunately Energiser had to be put to sleep. But before her appointment,
she was allowed to have a walk
around in the garden for
half an hour or so,
to enable her to get the most
enjoyment from her last moments.
Little Energiser was a very
characterful chicken, and
recovered extremely well
from her almost
featherless state when
she left the battery farm.
She will not be forgotten
Energiser sunbathing during August 1999
Ex-Battery
hen
(ISA Brown)
Rescued from
Battery Farm on
31st October 1998;
probably hatched
sometime during
Autumn 1996 / Spring 1997.
Died
22nd July 1999,
aged approximately
4 years
looked a darker red than usual,
the extremities of her comb
being almost purple.
No matter how much
encouragement I gave her,
she just wouldn't eat or drink at all.
When I went to check on
Varta in the morning,
she had died.
Her comb and wattles were
completely purple - I was shocked
by the rapidity of her decline
and unusually quick death,
so carried out a post-mortem.
I found that Varta's liver
was abnormally large, and
had a brownish green
diseased looking area on it.
She also had a large egg-sized tumour
associated with her gizzard.
There were some unlaid
eggs in her abdomen,
which had started to rot.
The main cause of death
was egg peritonitis.
Varta was another inquisitive, friendly bird, with rich dark-coloured plumage. One of her favourite garden snacks were slugs.
Varta will not be forgotten.
Varta, February 1999
Ex-Battery
hen
(ISA Brown)
Rescued from
Battery Farm on
31st October 1998;
probably hatched
sometime during
Autumn 1996 / Spring 1997.
Died
10th April 1999,
aged approximately
4 years
Incident Occurred in
the Fowl Enclosure.
I went to check on the
birds in the afternoon
and was horrified to discover that
Lithium had drowned
in the goosebath.
Lithium was a rather dominant, bossy hen who kept herself to herself most of the time.
Lithium will not be forgotten.
Lithium, January 1999
Cross-bred,
with
Spangled
Leghorn
father and
cross-bred
bantam mother
Hatched
15th October 1998,
died
17th October 1998,
two days old.
Unfortunately, on
Saturday 17th October 1998
two of the little chicks died
on their second day of life.
Saturday had been a very cold day,
and the early evening temperature was
at or below freezing point.
When I went to check the Brahma
and her family before shutting them in,
I found that the brown chick
and the palest chick
had not managed to find their way back
into the nest with their siblings.
I was extremely surprised
that the Brahma
had not collected her family together
and retreived the wayward chicks
before they died from cold.
I did not want to interfere
with them though,
leaving their foster mother to
decide what was best for them.
The evening temperature had
lowered to minus 2 degrees C,
and the two chicks froze to death..
These chicks will not be forgotten.
the two unnamed chicks are on the right of the picture
Ex-barn
hen
(ISA Brown)
Bought on
28th June1998
(hatched sometime
during 1997)
Died
22nd September 1998,
approximately 1 and
a half years old
of an impacted gizzard.
Sybil was a quiet, submissive bird, who was great friends with Prunella.
Little Sybil will not be forgotten.
Sybil, September 1998
Aquired on
3rd April 1998,
approximately
two years old.
Died
28th May 1998.
Thursday 28th May 1998
Henny Penny was taken by a fox.
Henny Penny, May 1998
Bought on
4th April 1998,
eight weeks old.
Died
28th May 1998,
approx. 4 months old.
Unfortunately, on
Thursday 28th May 1998
Keridwen was taken by a fox.
Keridwen, May 1998
Ex-barn
hen
(ISA Brown)
Bought
11th March 1998
(probably hatched
during 1997),
died
May 17th 1998,
approx. 1 year old.
The Little Red Hen was a lovely chicken, very friendly, and firm friends with Ernie.
Unfortunately, on
Sunday May 17th,
The Little Red Hen
was taken by a fox.
The Little Red Hen in the raspberry patch, 4th April 1998
Cream
Legbar
Hatched in
May 1997.
Bought in early
August 1997.
Died at 3.30pm on
Thursday 12th March 1998,
aged approx 1 year.
3.30pm on Thursday 12th March 1998.
Bert
was one of our first hens, who
came as a pair with Ernie,
during August 1997.
She was a friendly little hen,
and got on
with Ernie very well,
until she became ill.
Bert will not be forgotten.
Bert, November 1997