Houston... We've got a problem!

Pamela

April 2006- July 2009

Oh dear me! Another one bites the dust... literally... DUST all over her b b beak! Po Pamela. This meant that there are serious issues within the coop. So since I felt my mission to uncover the mystery of Buttercup's death failed, just a day before, I went to a higher resource... (Mr. Ellsworth~ who seems to know everything that there is to know because he has a book for every topic known to mankind which is the perfect companion to his photographic mind! And besides, on the off chance that he didn't know something, his wife does!) They brought over "The Chicken Health Handbook". Page 139 reads:

Poisoning

"Poisoning is not often a problem in chickens, especially where common sense is used in keeping the flock away from pesticides, herbicides, rodenticides, and antifreeze."

right! "common sense"! Since we pride ourselves in believing that we were at the front of the line during common sense handouts, this was a mighty blow! Guess we were wrong about that!

With our common sense we have thunk and thunk... this is what we came up with:

If you are a poultry farmer then you know that dusting the chickens for mites and lice is suggested. We, under NO circumstances, welcome mites or lice. So we dust our chickens religiously, every 6 months (needed or not) to prevent a true need! ew! But on Saturday when Mr. Mecham cleaned the coop and found that a beetle had set up camp in the laying boxes he opted to do the common sensible thing and dust the coop for those beetles. We feel strongly about keeping the chickens in the most clean and bug free nesting environment that we owners can offer! And so he dusted away... and then lay down fresh straw right over the top of that dust! And that was Saturday. And as ya'll know, Buttercup passed away unexpectedly on Sunday and then last night Lady Pamela joined her in chicken heaven. They ate those dusty bugs (like any chicken with common sense would do) with the pesticide all over them.

This is a big oops at the expense of many tears of one little 10 year old. Pamela was hers, you know. And I can't decide who feels worse about the whole ordeal, Bailey or Mr. Nate. Actually, I'm pretty sure that Bailey will get over it LOOOOOOOOOOONG before Mr. Mecham... who doesn't like to talk about it much. But he did scrub those chicken laying boxes something fierce! They sparkle... and FYI, nobodies chicken boxes sparkle!

And so today we are crossing our fingers that Bionce, Roadrunner, Boof, Shortcake and Streek are choosing a vegetarian diet... just in case anymore of those nasty beetles are still alive.

Here is our chicken obituary for Pamela:

Sweet Pamela... Not so smart but chased the baseball if it went past her (never mind that she thought it was a giant white bug with red lines on it.) She was generous in giving us food. Nearly every day! What a princess. Pamela was preceded in death by Brittney (who had been her sister hen her whole life... they were purchased the same day and raised together). We suspect that Britt passed away from the same tragic poisoning that Pam did... fowl play.... by a very common sensible owner who is choosing "no comment". Pamela also joins Oreo who committed suicide on Stapely road last summer and Eagle who was attacked by a dog during a free range moment in the Northern pasture at the same time. We believe chickens must die in twos. Who knew? Brittney and Pamela are survived by 5 lovely hens who could care less that they are gone... (More shade space in the coop now!) and 5 very common sensible owners who loved them very much. Rest in peace little lady. 'Till we meet...