Invite others to view this Memorial. Enter email addresses below:
This memorial is sponsored by:
IN HONOR OF FAYEROE
Memorial created 03-3-2009 by pat allgood
fayeroe
May 25 2002 - February 18 2009
CAGNEY FORAGING FOR GRASSHOPPERS
CAGNEY CAME TO LIVE AT THE 'CHICKEN HOUSE' IN LOCKHART, TEXAS IN 2005. SHE BROUGHT HER SISTER, LACEY, WITH HER. THEY WERE BOTH RED HENS. I DON'T KNOW WHAT RED HENS ARE CALLED BUT THEY WERE VERY BEAUTIFUL.
CAGNEY AND LACEY JOINED THELMA AND LOUISE IN THE CHICKEN CONDO BUT THINGS DIDN'T GO WELL. CAGNEY WAS MEAN. SHE ESPECIALLY DIDN'T LIKE LOUISE BECAUSE LOUISE IS WHITE AND THAT ANNOYED CAGNEY. SHE DIDN'T BOTHER THELMA AS MUCH. THELMA IS BLACK. THERE WERE MANY TIMES WHEN I HAD TO INTERVENE TO MAKE CAGNEY LEAVE LOUISE ALONE.
AS THE YEARS PASSED, CAGNEY PROVED TO BE A PROLIFIC LAYER AND SUPPLIED ME WITH MANY BROWN EGGS. THE FOUR GIRLS WERE LAYING 28 EGGS A WEEK SO I GAVE MANY TO FR. BECKER, WHO LIVED IN FRONT OF US.
LACY WAS UNDER SEIGE FROM RED MITES AND DURING HER RECOVERY SHE WAS ATTACKED BY ONE OF THE PUPS THAT I RESCUED. SHE AND I STARTED FIERCE FIGHTING TRYING FOR SURVIVAL BUT I FINALLY HAD TO REALIZE THAT WE COULDN'T WIN. RIGHT UNTIL THE LAST, SHE STILL WANTED TO BE OUTSIDE AND I TOOK HER FOR HER LAST DAY AND LET HER WALK AROUND A BIT AND CLUCK TO HER 'SISTERS'. WE MADE THAT FINAL TRIP TO OUR VETERINARIAN . I APOLOGIZED TO THE STAFF FOR CRYING SO MUCH. I COULD HARDLY STAND TO HAND HER OVER TO THE TECHNICIAN. I WILL ALWAYS MISS YOU, CAGNEY.
THE LADIES LIVED THE LIFE OF LEISURE IN LOCKHART FOR 5 YEARS. WE PICKED UP AND MOVED TO OKLAHOMA TO THE RANCH WHERE I GREW UP. THIS WAS IN 2011.
THE GIRLS HAD A MUCH BIGGER YARD HERE AND IT WAS FULL OF EXCITING EDIBLE BITS. THERE WERE BUGS, SPIDERS, NEW PLANTS, ETC. I WORKED IN THE YARD FOR THE FIRST TWO MONTHS AND ONE DAY I GATHERED UP A CUP OF EARTHWORMS AND VERY PROUDLY PRESENTED THEM, AS A GIFT TO THE LADIES. THEY WERE TERRIFIED OF THEM! THEY YELLED AND CACKLED AND RAN BACKWARDS, AS IF THE WORMS WERE TINY NINJAS WHO WERE TARGETING HENS. IT TOOK A LONG TIME TO GET THEM TO EAT SOME OF THE MORE GOURMET ITEMS THAT I FOUND. THEY CAME TO LOVE TO STAND RIGHT UNDER MY SHOVEL WHEN I DUG IN THE GARDENS. THEY WERE WAITING FOR A WORM OR GRUB TO BE UNCOVERED. IT WAS HARD TO DIG ANY KIND OF A DECENT HOLE WITH THEIR HELP.
THE DAY THAT I DECIDED TO LET THEM OUT INTO THE BIG MAIN YARD WAS VERY EXCITING FOR THE GIRLS. THEY HAD SO MUCH MORE GROUND TO COVER AND AS WE HAD A HORRIBLE INFESTATION OF TICKS, THEY WERE IN HEAVEN. WITHIN A WEEK, EVERY TICK WAS GONE AND THE LADIES CONCENTRATED ON OTHER PESTS.
~~THELMA'S EVIL EYE~~
THELMA LOU LEFT ME ON SATURDAY, AUGUST 11, AT 11:00 A.M. THELMA IS A VERY WONDERFUL BLACK HEN WHO LIVED WITH US FOR 7 YEARS. 7 IS VERY OLD FOR A HEN SO WE WERE BLESSED TO HAVE HER THAT LONG.
THELMA'S FAVORITE FOOD WAS 'HOME-GROWN TOMATOES'. I HAD TO BE VERY CAREFUL TO NOT LET HER INTO THE GARDEN IF THERE WERE RIPE ONES ON THE VINES.
THELMA HAS A SISTER, LOUISE. THEY WERE NAMED FOR THE FAMOUS MOVIE STARRING GEENA DAVIS AND SUSAN SARANDON.
THELMA KICKED BUT.T. SHE DISCIPLINED EVERYONE, WHETHER THEY NEEDED IT OR NOT. THEY COULD WALK BY HER AND SHE WOULD BE ANNOYED AND PECK THEM. ONE DAY SHE WAS PECKING ON THE MARROW IN A BONE AND CLEMENTINE WALKED UP AND PICKED THE BONE UP. THELMA RAISED HER WINGS AND RAN AFTER CLEM. CLEM DIDN'T KNOW THAT THELMA WAS COMING AND SHE GOT HIT FROM BEHIND. THELMA CHASED CLEMENTINE AROUND THE CORNER OF THE HOUSE. CLEM WAS SO EMBARRASSED WHEN SHE CAME BACK AROUND.
THELMA HAD IT IN FOR LITA, PERMANENTLY. I HAVE NO IDEA WHY LITA IRRITATED THELMA SO MUCH. LITA IS A JACK RUSSELL AND IS WHITE WITH TAN SPOTS. ONE DAY THELMA SAW HER AS A TARGET AND PECKED HER BEHIND. AFTER THAT THE CHASE WAS ON. LITA ALWAYS TIPTOED AROUND THELMA BUT THAT DIDN'T ALWAYS WORK. THELMA WOULD TILT THAT HEAD AND GIVE LITA THE EVIL EYE AND GO FOR IT.
THELMA IS A CLASS ACT. SHE IS UP IN HEAVEN NOW, PECKING THE OTHER DOGS AND CATS AND IN GENERAL, SHAKING THINGS UP!
I LOVE YOU THELMA. YOU ARE SO MISS ED.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 18 2012 ONE WEEK SINCE YOU HAD TO GO
DEAR THELMA: THE YARD IS SAD NOW. WE HAVE NO LITTLE BLACK HEN TO KEEP ORDER AND KEEP US LAUGHING. IT HAS BEEN ONE WEEK TODAY SINCE YOU TOOK FLIGHT TO BE AT THE RAINBOW BRIDGE. MAYBE HEAVEN HAS MADE CAGNEY A NICER HEN AND YOU ARE HANGING OUT WITH HER.
THE SADDEST PART OF MY DAY IS PUTTING LOUISE AND LACY TO BED AND NOT HEARING YOUR LITTLE WELCOMING MURMUR TO THEM. I DON'T HEAR YOU SAYING 'WELL, IT'S GRAHAM CRACKERS TONIGHT FOR OUR SNACK AND THEY ARE GOOD'.
I MISS YOU SO MUCH. I PUT YOUR GRAVE IN THE GARDEN WITH THE WILDFLOWERS. I'M MAKING A GRAVESTONE AND STELLA AND COLLEEN ARE MAKING A LOVELY CROSS FOR YOU. XOXOXO MOM
OKAY, WHO MOVED THE TOMATOES?
Last Night I Dreamed of Chickens
Last night I dreamed of chickens,
there were chickens everywhere,
they were standing on my stomach,
they were nesting in my hair,
they were pecking at my pillow,
they were hopping on my head,
they were ruffling up their feathers
as they raced about my bed.
They were on the chairs and tables,
they were on the chandeliers,
they were roosting in the corners,
they were clucking in my ears,
there were chickens, chickens, chickens
for as far as I could see...
when I woke today, I noticed
there were eggs on top of me.
LACEY & LOUISE HAVING A DUST BATH
As grains in the cornfield, for thee have I shucked,
Words of love do I offer, yea of praise and renown,
Winged yet earthbound, as seraphs cast down,
To thee have I whisper'd, to me hast thou clucked.
Pulchritudinous poultry, from beak to thy legs,
To gaze at thy galliform soul is to sing
Of the unbested arm and the untested wing;
I toast thy fowl beauty as I toast thy fresh eggs.
Say not love is folly 'twixt chickens and men;
For hath not my heart forged a bond with thy breast?
Yea, a thick bond, which thickens, like mud in a nest,
And quickens my pulse for thou pullet, thou hen.
O chicken, surpassing the swallow or dove,
As thou swallow my corn, spurn not my love
ANONYMOUS
LACEY WITH GREYHOUND
We'll Come Running!
No matter where you've been all day,
To your feet we'll run to play.
Like a loyal dog to some,
When I call, my chickens come.
Early morning you say hello,
Eating, scratching fresh fallen snow.
Beaks and toes with mud galore,
Chickens dig forever more.
Where you've been it doesn't matter,
Chicken feet go pitter patter.
Sometimes fast and sometimes slow,
They know where they want to go.
Into the grass to frolic and play,
Until the end of this sunny day.
And when it's time to say goodnight,
Into their coop without a fight.
Sleep my chickens cozy and warm,
Feathered and happy, they sleep 'til dawn.
~Tilly's Nest, December 28, 2010
Life Without Our Dear Lacey 2005-2013
Now there are just two little feet pattering by my side when I call.
Louise comes running as fast as she can. It is so sad to not have the complete package. Lacey always ran on my right side and Louise runs to my left. I never had to say "chickie, chickie", they know their names and as soon as I yelled Lacey and Louise, they came trundling around the house.
It is so sad right now. I only have one lady to give an evening snack to..and how Lacey loved her snacks. She always stuck her little head out of her crate as soon as she heard me. I always fixed her door so she could open it herself at dawn. Yes, chickens get up at dawn.
I miss you,girl. Very much. A light has gone out, not only for me, but for Louise also. She spent a lot of time today singing on the porch. I think she expects you to come around the house to sun with her.
xoxoxo Lacey, We love you very much.
STELLA, LACEY AND LITA
Dear Critters Family: I have very sad news today. Lacey died suddenly on Friday. She is 8 years old. I understand that most hens live to be 3-4 years old. Lacey was the highlight of our little family in the yard. She sang endless songs about her home and her friends. She was the first to grab a worm out of the freshly worked earth. I could hardly dig in a flower bed or garden because she stayed right under me waiting for a morsel. Lacey is a Rhode Island Red and was, indeed, one of the most beautiful hens in our county. Her body was very plump and sturdy. She reminded me of my old aunts who had big bosoms and wore those beautiful rayon dresses when I was a child. Lacey was noble and yet always ready for a good laugh. I carried her around a lot and she always cocked her head and looked at me with her beady little golden eyes.
A certain pizazz is gone now from us now. I know Cagney and Thelma greeted her with love at The Bridge. Send a litlle Critters love that her flight was good when she left her earthly home..where we loved her so very much.
Louise won't leave the porch as Lacey preferred sleeping in a small dog crate and that is where Louise last saw her. I'm feeding and watering her there. In time I know she will accept that Lacey is gone and be back to her foraging and singing. It's just really sad to see her sitting by the empty crate talking.
I will add her story and photos to Cagney and Thelma's soon.
Pat, Pearl, Tim, Mike, Lita, Clementine, Dom and Dinah
LACEY, STELLA AND LITA
YOU GOT SNACKS? NO? THEN I AIN'T HANGIN'
Please sign the guestbook for fayeroe by clicking here
