Miss Ginger (my favorite chicken) is no longer with us. Yep, if there is a heaven for chickens she is there.
Sigh. I hate posts like this one. Posts that have to share the disappointment and sadness me and some of my children are going through. I get a little uncomfortable sharing because I know many of you folks that have raised farm animals might be judging me and wondering why I even let this one chicken make me so sad. After all, it’s just a chicken right? It sounds silly to even me that I would feel this loss. But I do. I truly am sad. I really really loved Miss Ginger the most. She was like our pet. She totally came up to all of us when we called for her. I could literally just reach my hand down and she would let me pet her without running away. Chickens just don’t usually do that, they are usually nervous around people. Ginger was a special bird.
My daughter Grace is devastated of course. Ginger was her chicken. The reason why Ginger was so friendly was because of the work and love Grace gave her everyday from when she was a chick. Even up until now everyday she still said hello to Ginger and picked her up to talk to her. We wanted to bring her to the fair this summer as she was such a great bird. We wanted to see her raise some baby chicks of her own someday when we moved to my future dream-farm. But those things will not happen now with Ginger.
Miss Ginger lived almost one whole year with us. One awesome year.
How it Happened
My family and I went to Boise this past week over spring break. I hired a nice girl I know to feed and water my dogs and chickens for 4 days while we were away. I told her to just keep my chickens alive, that they didn’t have to be let out of the coop even. But that if she did have time for a few hours she could let them out of the coop so they could get some grass and take dust baths. It was optional.
Apparently all was perfect and well until the last day of her feeding. She came over, didn’t let the chickens out and just fed them. Then went home. Miss Ginger was alive then she said when she left. Later that day her little brother came over and jumped my fence to say hello to my dog. He says he noticed Miss Ginger was dead. But didn’t tell anyone which was odd.
My husband got home and found Miss Ginger dead. Broken neck inside the coop. No blood, no pecking. Laying right next to the door opening. So we know that what most likely happened is that someone opened up the coop door (to which my chickens always want to get out right away) and then accidently shut the door back up on Miss Ginger and broke her neck. We found her lying by the door of the coop. We don’t know who did it, all we know is that she is gone. And we are so sad.
Dad saved my daughter a few feathers before burying her.
Here is a letter my daughter wrote up for Miss Ginger that pretty much sums up her heart-break.
As for me… I am just feeling a bit sad and disappointed. Wondering if I really should have left to go out of town for spring break. I go out to see the other three chickens, knowing none of them are as friendly as Ginger was and I seem to see just see plain ole’ boring chickens.
So that is what is happening right now.
Please try not to mock me for making a whole post just for one chicken. We loved Miss Ginger. We really did. And were planning on letting her grow to a nice old age with us.
But I am still grateful to the Lord for all my blessings. And for the chance we got to experience such a sweet nice chicken.
This post is far beyond the time stamp of when you might see it, but I wanted to share anyway. Loving a chicken is such a personal thing to those of us who raise them. Most people do not understand how I still get tears in my eyes thinking about losing my little “Necklace”. She, too, was a Buff…the only one in a flock of 25…then 50…then 75. Every night, even after she had returned to her coop for the night, I could always count on her to come back out, run up the driveway to meet me, and wait for me to pick her up to carry her back to her roost before closing them up for the night. The whole trip back she chattered as if she was sharing the goings-on of her day with me. No matter where she was on the farm she always answered me when I called out to her. By this time she was one of the oldest chickens we had…fat and happy…slow and steady. One afternoon while my husband was out of town I heard some squawking and went out to find that she had been killed by a hawk. My guess is that her age and lack of speed was to the hawk’s benefit. I was so devastated that I had to have a neighbor collect her so that we could bury her. Despite all the chickens we have had I have never had another one like her…and even after 5 years I still miss her. We also raise Nigerian Dwarf goats and I have lost 2 mamas and 2 babies in the last year. Equally as tough. Farm animals to us are not farm animals, but four (or two) legged family members. So sorry for your loss.
Still miss Miss Ginger….sigh! I loved reading your story Lynn, your Grandmother sounds like an amazing lady!
I can see this post is quite old, but I still wanted the share. A sudden loss is always devastating, especially when there may have been some sort of foul play or prevention. We recently started a small flock with two juvenile Chocolate Orpingtons. We live in an ag heavy area, but still in a city neighborhood and within 6 weeks we had a small fox jump our backyard fence, maneuver in through a weak spot in our coop, and take one of our girls. We just happened to be awake when we heard the commotion and saw him take off with her. It was heartbreaking- telling my daughter was devastating, but I was so upset over it. We ended up taking our other girl back to the little organic farm she came from where she healed from her traumatic event, and are in the process of rebuilding our coop to get a few of her chicks. Thanks for sharing, I look forward to reading through your articles 🙂
Oh that is just so sad Stephanie, it IS so hard to love these chickens!
Thank you for your wonderful blog. I was looking at the DIY body cream recipe (brilliant btw) and then came across this. Miss Ginger sounded like a wonderful, amazing pet. It looks like a few months have passed, and though things may not ever be the same, I was still deeply saddened by your loss! Something was definitely fishy in the stories you were told, but your daughter wrote a beautiful letter and her picture said it all :'( I hope your family has come across other beloved pets who are special in their own way – Miss Ginger definitely sounded happy with your family, and the way she interacted with you guys was so special and priceless. What a beautiful animal :’) She has changed the way I’ve thought about chickens (forever!), and may her spirit continue to grace your family and your many readers. It was very rave of you to share, and I’m so thankful you did!! :)))
I love my chickens too. I know how you feel. I have 5 Australorps I raised from chicks and I love them all. They are my pets, my babies It’s tramatic to lose a pet. My heart goes out to you and your little girl…
I know it’s been awhile since you lost your Ginger, I just found your site and want to send my condolences. I too love my chickens, and have my favorite among the 13 of them. My neighbor however, does not treat her chickens as pets like I do and she thinks I’m silly when I get emotional over them. Anyway, I wanted to say I’m sorry for your loss.
I am really enjoying your blog! I’ve been blogging for years, but have just set up a new blog, so I’ve got nothing there yet. 🙂
Thanks, Brandy!
Even if it’s “just a chicken” it’s still a pet and a loved pet at that. *hugs*
WHEN I WAS A LITTLE GIRL THERE WAS A HATCHERY THAT WAS ON MY WAY TO SCHOOL. IF YOU STOPPED IN THERE AFTER SCHOOL YOU MIGHT BE LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE GIVEN A YOUNG CHICK WHICH HAD PROVEN TO BE A MALE. I RECEIVED ONE SUCH CHICKEN AND I NAMED HIM PETE. HE LIVED IN MY BACK YARD IN A SMALL TOWN IN INDIANA. HE WOULD COME WHEN I CALLED HIM BY NAME AND WOULD FOLLOW ME WHEREVER I WENT EVEN INTO THE HOUSE WHERE HE WOULD JUMP UP ON A CHAIR OR COUCH WHERE I WOULD BE SITTING. I SO LOVED HIM. ONE DAY I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE FUN TO TAKE HIM FOR A WALK AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD WITH HIM FOLLOWING ME. A NEIGHBOR’S DOG GOT HIM AND I WAS DEVASTATED. I NEVER GOT ANOTHER CHICKEN AND I STILL MOURN PETE. I AM 79 YEARS OLD.
Oh, I get you, Melva. Ginger will be a bittersweet memory just like Pete is for you.
I’m so sorry Karrie! We lost a chick last week-a meat bird yes- and the kids were devastated! I feel your pain:( Hope everyone gets through it! Grace’s note was so sweet!
Oh, I am so sorry for your kids too! Thanks for thinking of us!
I found this as a pin on pinterest and came over to read your story because it sounded as though I was reading my own. I live just a bit away in mountain home. We live in town but started raising backyard chickens about four months ago. I have an 8 year old son and a six year old daughter who have loved having chickens to care for. We got our girls as grown hens but they too had great personalities. We got two together and one a bit later on who was from my daughters preschool teacher. We have never had issues with our dogs and the chickens before other than curiosity. Well just four days ago that all changed and our hearts are broken. We treat our girls as pets they are spoiled as much as my dogs and children 🙂 they talk to us and eat from our hands. A horrible tragedy happened Friday the girls had gotten out of their pin and my dogs attacked one hurting her too badly to make her continue on suffering. My children and I cried for hours and many do not understand it however I feel blessed knowing the caring hearts my kids have. I wish it were an easy process but we just try to remember the fond times and ignore the snide comments. I never imagined I would get so attached to a chicken but each of my girls have their own individual personalities but none quite like miss sparkle. We honored her by getting a solar light up chicken from d&b that now sits out by their coop. RiP miss Sparkle and Miss Ginger and i hope your hearts heal
Oh, that story breaks my heart! It seems you understand what we are going through! Big hugs for you!
sorry, I have had her for two months (she didn’t pass away)
awww,the poor thing.I have had a buff orpington and named her miss ginger too.chickens are soo sweet, I love them very much and can’t even imagine what it would be like loosing one, they are my little girls. Karrie, I don’t think it ridiculous at all of you to make a whole post of miss Ginger, if there is an animal heaven, I know she is smiling down at you:)
Great minds think alike, Amber! 🙂