About a year ago I saw an ad on Craigslist of two chickens being given away. One was a rooster, the other an older Rhode Island Red hen. I can't pass up free critters and was needing a rooster after mine lost his head (literally). So I drove to Strayhorn and picked up the two free chickens. The rooster I named Strayhorn and the hen was named Aunt Rosie (I name all my hens "Aunt"...I don't know why, but it just seems right).
Aunt Rosie was already an old girl when I got her, but I was happy to provide her with a comfortable retirement home. She never laid us an egg, but she was a pleasant chicken and got along with the two other hens, Aunt Bernice and Aunt Bertha.
For the past few days Aunt Rosie has not been herself. I knew the end was near when she refused to eat and wouldn't stand up. She just sat in the shade and dozed. We debated on whether or not to end her suffering, but she didn't seem to be suffering and, when Don went out to do the deed, she was standing up and clucking so he left her alone.
Yesterday morning Don found her dead in her little house. She seemed to have passed away in her sleep. I'm sure the hot weather had something to do with her passing, but mostly it was just old age. Now she is buried in the garden. Rest in peace Aunt Rosie.
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