RIP Leah

The last remaining Dutch bantam, Leah, died this afternoon. She had been looking a little tired and sad for a few days, and not really "mothering" her chicks as well as she would usually have done, and I gave her some corn at lunchtime, but she had keeled over by 5pm. Both of the chicks cheeped rather sadly when I removed her body from the run, and they have gone to bed tonight together, so I hope that they will huddle up and keep each other warm.

I have lost count of the number of broods Leah raised for us, and even of how old she may have been, but I would guess at five or even six years of age - a good few years for a chook, anyway. She had a happy life here, and spent some time with my friend Helen when Helen took a group of Dutch bantams over for me, but when Leah was the only one left, she was returned to us to be with her sister, Lana. Lana passed away in the chill months of last winter, and Leah has lived long enough to see in the spring and early summer, and to raise another batch of chicks. She was a lovely bantam, and will be much missed.