Adrian has been very gentle and understanding with me for the last couple of days as I dealt with the shocking loss of my backyard girls. There were kind messages in response to his post on Facebook, and I wanted to thank everyone for their sympathy. A lot of people have been introduced to our backyard animals - learning how we keep bees, checking out the chicken tractor, seeing what we grow for the animals in a small space, and of course, petting bunnies (by far the most popular part of a visit). These animals are important to me, and the quality and manner of their lives and especially of their deaths is something that warrants a lot of my consideration. It's taking me some time to deal with the sense that I failed to protect them. I resolve to do better. We will try to always have a Naked Neck Turken named Nugget in our flock, in memory of our hen who jumped for blueberries.
Celine went to a new home in Langley, meeting a clique of larger white girls who put her in her place, another smaller, tan hen who protected her when the bullying came to her attention, and a diminutive bantam rooster named Eddie, who danced for her within the first 15 minutes of her arrival. He's about half her own, small size, and apparently very protective of his flock. I checked in with her adoptive family this afternoon, and she is settling in as well as a new chicken can settle into an established flock. She is allowing some handling and cuddles, and being placed on a roost at night, to show her the new set up of her quarters and help her adjust.
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