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An Equestrian Life

silkie chickens
Farm Life
/
March 25, 2016

Fluffers

Sometimes I get sappy and emotional. This is one of those days. Prepare yourself for a long, sad chicken post.

Here’s some music to get you in the mood.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6LR521WyWk

My beautiful Fluffers, my sweet little pet chicken, who I have had for three years, was killed by a fox. Belvedere, who was also a favorite was killed, too. I know many people wouldn’t understand why I would get sentimental about a chicken, but they were my pets, and had so much personality.

It’s especially heartbreaking because I know they can’t defend themselves. They are only chickens, with no defenses at all. And I left them defenseless out in the yard. Dave heard all the chickens making noise and went to investigate, and saw Fluffers being carried away. Belvedere was gone too, but he found her body later.

Fluffers, with Belvedere behind her.

Fluffers, with Belvedere behind her.

I wish I could bring them back. They both were friendly, although Fluffers way more so. They’d follow us around, chattering to us. They’d come up to the house to try to find us. Belvedere would walk around the house, tapping on all the doors to get our attention.

Fluffers was part of the first group of chickens we got. Naturally, we took tons of photos of our new pets, so we have way more photos of Fluffers and her flock growing up than any of the other chickens.

silkie chick

Fluffers always knew how to work the camera.

Fluffers had a sister named Puffers, who died in the first year. We don’t know what caused her death, we just found her dead in the coop one morning. Both Fluffers and Puffers were oversized silkies, so we feel like maybe she had something genetically wrong with her. But Fluffers survived, and flourished.

Fluffers and Puffers

Fluffers and Puffers

Fluffers first day outside, in our original coop.

Fluffers first day outside, in our original coop.

We had 5 little hens to begin with, and possibly because we spent so much time with them, they were the friendlest of all the chickens we have owned since.

teenagefluffers

About two months after we got Fluffers, we got Belvedere. I don’t have any pictures of her as a chick, I guess the novelty wore off. Or she just didn’t seem photo worthy.

Baby Belvedere was not nearly so photogenic, and kind of resembled a vulture.

Baby Belvedere couldn’t help that she looked like a tiny vulture.

silvermaran

But she filled out beautifully.

Fluffers and Belevdere ended up hanging out together a lot, especially when the majority of their original flocks were eaten or carried away. They were close in age, and were together so long, it made sense. Dave and I often debated who was the head hen, because sometimes it seemed like Fluffers was, other times Belvedere.

Belvedere in the front, Fluffers, Puffers, and Spoof in the background.

Belvedere in the front, Fluffers, Puffers, and Spoof in the background.

Fluffers had a second job as a chicken model.

Fluffers had a second job as a chicken model.

She wasn’t cuddly by nature, but she’d allow herself to be picked up and carried around.

feedingfluffers

Always wanted to be the center of attention!

Always wanted to be the center of attention!

fluffers

We accidentally left eggs in the coop, and for a brief time, she was a mommy. The cooing noises she made at her baby were the most adorable noises I’ve ever heard.

flufferschick

We didn’t know to separate the baby/mom from the flock so unfortunately the chick was killed when Fluffers abandoned it in the run. Fluffers seemed to move on quickly though.

The last photo I took of Fluffers, three days before her death.

The last photo I took of Fluffers, three days before her death.

Along with Lil’ Cochin, until her disappearance, Fluffers was my favorite chicken. She had so much personality, and truly loved to hang out with humans. Having her made me realize chickens aren’t pea brained idiots, but pea brained little creatures, who must have thoughts and memories. I really let her down when I should have been protecting her. The day she died, she was hanging out in the front yard, and I kept walking up to shoo her back to the back yard. She didn’t want to, despite the bread we were passing out. I don’t know why she didn’t want to, she might have just found the front yard more interesting. Eventually I got her back there though, and then I left her to go back in the house. And that was the last time I saw her. I don’t know what I would have done differently, except just not let the chickens out of the run. I just wish I could have had more time with her.

I’m feeling a bit depressed about my chickens in general. I get attached to them, and then they die so easily. I could leave them in the run all the time to protect them, but they don’t like that. So it’s leave them in the run for them to be depressed, or let them out and risk their deaths.

It’s just too hard to get attached to a pet that can die so easily. I’m seriously considering never getting anymore, and just giving up on them. I just can’t stand their untimely deaths.

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  • Micaylah
    March 25, 2016

    I just got chickens and I’m so terrified of them dying! We have 4 laying hens and 5 “nuggets” (cornish crosses) We bought the nuggets as chicks and didn’t expect them to all survive. We have a lovely large coup that could easily house 20+ chickens (I live on a 100 year old farm!) so luckily the 9 of them don’t mind their diggs

    Reply
    • Dave
      Micaylah
      March 25, 2016

      It’s so much better to build your own coop. You probably spent as much on that big coop as you would buying those cheap Fisher Price coops they sell at tractor supply. They want like $399 for a 5-7 chicken coop (depending on chicken size) and the wood is like something you get in those birdhouse kits for 7 year olds to build.

      Reply
      • Courtney
        Dave
        March 26, 2016

        In other news, Dave gets a kickback if you tell the hardware store your buying wood for a coop…

        Reply
    • Courtney
      Micaylah
      March 26, 2016

      That is really nice for them!! That’s awesome they all survived. Hopefully it will stay that way!

      Our coop is huge too, probably fit about 40 chickens, but the run is so small. I’m thinking now I’ll enlarge the run, and then I’ll feel better about them being locked up.

      Reply
  • Dave
    March 25, 2016

    ….. In other news… Dave and Courtney start browsing mypetchicken.com ….

    Reply
    • Courtney
      Dave
      March 26, 2016

      It’s too soon!!!

      Reply
  • Sarah
    March 25, 2016

    🙁 So sorry about Fluffers. This is one of the reasons I did’t get chickens when I wanted them last year. I was so close to getting them but was afraid my brother’s (he lives by the farm) pit bull would eat them if I let them have time out of the coop.

    Reply
    • Courtney
      Sarah
      March 26, 2016

      awww, that would be sad 🙁 Our grayhound killed one when we first got them, but she learned to live with them. Now she lays out in the grass and they peck all around here, it’s pretty cute.

      Reply
  • draftmare
    March 25, 2016

    I had a brief stint at owning Chickens so I understand the sentiment. The ones I had were both hand raised as 4-H projects. They ate out my hand and perched on my arms and shoulders. While I was away recovering from surgery at my parents house and my neighbors were in charge of them they both got killed by a fox. It really rough for me to take. So, big hugs to you! When I get chickens again I want to get the fluffy kind.

    Reply
    • Courtney
      draftmare
      March 26, 2016

      oh no!!! 🙁 🙁 That’s so awful. It’s making me tear up thinking about it. Poor chickens!!

      My favorites are definitely the fluffy kind!! Although a little bird-like sebright did win my affection. She’s so pretty!

      Reply
  • Emma
    March 26, 2016

    Aw I’m sorry. Rip Fluffers 🙁

    Reply
    • Courtney
      Emma
      March 26, 2016

      Thank you!

      Reply

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