Grace the Little Blond Chicken

I knew when I saw her this morning, that Grace was ready...she was done...I know the look...I've seen it hundreds of times, although it never gets easier.... and so, I told her it was OK for both of us to say good-bye.
I called the vet and made an appointment.
Grace wasn't my favorite but I valued her life and her cute little blond feathered self will be missed around here.
I'll see you in my dreams, Gracie girl.

sorry you've had to say goodbye

Charis...........So very sorry about your Grace. I know she had a wonderful life with you and will be dearly missed.

REST IN PEACE DEAR GRACE



Louise

Rest in Peace, Grace.

Sending hugs your way, Charis... I'm sorry for your loss.

I am so sorry, Charis.
From all of us to you . . .

There was more room on the sleeping shelf in the chicken coop, last night and the other chickens are establishing the pecking order again.

Little was awful, these last few days, exhaulting herself in the pecking order as Grace declined and she bullied Grace terribly. Her glory was short lived as now she is at the bottom again.

Grace was sick when she arrived here nearly a year ago. Her previous keepers had contributed lack of laying to old age rather than an infection. They got a lot of bad informtion from an on line chicken forum and so they just let her go... thinking she would be dead soon from old age. The saddest part of Grace's passing is that it all could have been avoided had they taken Grace to the vet at the time or even given me a call because I would have recognized the signs of egg yoke peritonities.

I'm happy for Grace that she is out of pain. I suspect I'll still catch a glimpse of her out the corner of my eye....maybe Little will as well.

I appreciate your comfort. It means more than I can express with words.

Dear Charis - I feel your pain and sorrow. In my heart I try to send comforting thoughts that try to soothe your sadness. I feel sorry for any soul that has to go but glad that your Grace is beyond all suffering now. Good bye Grace Be happy forever

I'm so sorry, Charis! It's so devastating to lose a little friend, no matter how many times we're faced with that sad reality...
At least Grace got to know what it was like to be loved and treated with respect since she came to you, and she is now free forever from the constraints of this world.
Farewell, little Grace, be happy in the land beyond the rainbow bridge!

Grace did have a big presence about her. The first night she was absent, Little, who had been so terrible to her the last week, claimed Grace's spot on the sleeping shelf. She had a look of triumph about her until, Bosey bumped her off and took the spot for herself. That seemed most appopriate as Bosey was Grace's best friend.
Now Bosey and Noel share the sleeping shelf and there is an empty spot.
I feel good about the difficult decision I had to make as it was the last act of kindness I was able to bestow to Grace.
Prior to having Grace PTS, Jay [NiteOwl] and I talked. We talked about how animals/birds, live in the moment which is different from you and I. They don't think about what they are going to have for dinner...they don't wonder about if they will be remembered...they don't wonder if they will miss anything...they are in the moment. As a human, it was easy for me to project how I might feel on to Grace.
Thank you Jay for your insight.

Thank you all for being the utterly, remarkable humans that you are.

Sorry to hear about Grace's loss Charis :( It's really terrible to lose a loved one and i can understand what you must have gone through to put Grace to sleep...but she was treated with dignity and is now free and happy, away from all the pain.
Sending a prayer and a little wish to beloved Grace that she is safe and will forever be in the hearts of the people who loved and cared for her

Charis I am so sorry to see this

I terribly miss our hens too

Grace will now have many acres of fields to forage yummy bugs & new sproats with our Big Red, Peep & Elmo. :Yes: