Angel, we will miss you.

It is with a heavy heart that I write today's post.  The historic heat wave that swept across the central and eastern United States caused the temperature in our area to reach 103 degrees Fahrenheit.  Prior to this heat wave, the weather had been very mild.

When we returned home on Friday afternoon, we checked on the chickens and brought them a fan and cold water.  We found poor little Angel lying on the ground panting desperately.  We took her inside to try to save her, but our efforts were in vain.  The sudden heat wave was too much for Angel.

We are heartbroken.

Angel was our favorite hen in the flock--she had enough personality for 10 chickens.  She was quirky, and beyond sweet. I think she was the most appropriately named chicken in the flock, because she really was a little angel. She never picked on any of the other chickens, and she was full of nothing but kindness. Of all the chickens, she was always the most excited to see her human caretakers.  She would run up to us, follow us around the garden, and sometimes even enjoy a ride on our shoulders.  

Angel, as a chick, playing in a tube.

Even as a young chick, she was always up to something.  She was very curious, and found things to play with.  She was only a couple of months old when she started to fly onto our shoulders.

A young Angel and my husband.

Angel and me.

Angel was a very photogenic chicken: I think this had something to do with her fondness for us.  She would always run right up to me and pose for the camera.  Luckily, because of this, I have a ton of pictures of her.

I put windows between the chickens and the trellis to keep
them from eating the plants... it wasn't very effective on Angel.

Angel loved to jump on everything.

I used to say that the chickens were my favorite part of the garden, and that is true.  But when I said it, what I really meant was that Angel was my favorite part of the garden.  She made me smile every single day, and she managed to touch our hearts.

I knew we wouldn't have the chickens forever, but it has been painful losing Angel so unexpectedly and so soon.  Without her, the garden seems so empty.

In the evenings, JC (our head hen) always clucks at the bottom of the coop telling the others to come home.  One of Angel's quirks was that she was always the last to return.  Once she was safely in the run, JC would quit clucking and go to roost.

Every evening since her passing, I have stood outside and watched our little flock of 4 walk back to their run after free-ranging.  After the other 3 chickens have gone inside to roost, JC stands in the run clucking and looking for Angel for a few minutes before she reluctantly goes to bed.

Eventually, JC will stop waiting for Angel.  And I know with time, this sadness will fade and be replaced by all the fond memories Angel created with us. 

Angel, we will love you and miss you. Always.

Angel
May 2011 - June 2012