Clyde's Last Kids

I took these pictures a few days ago but when I looked at them today I realized just how big the babies have gotten.  They're only two months old, and they're just about the same size as Silkie Sue!  The oldest is still hoping that one of these will be a rooster just like Clyde, and I have to say that I'm hoping for the same thing.

In Memory of Clyde

The Chicken Chick is a woman who has a major chicken blog and a Facebook page that is viewed around the world.  She is very informative and helpful to chicken folks.  The other day she was offering a couple free chicken decals and told people to comment with what they were doing for the weekend with their birds and she would randomly pick four winners.

I am not one for attempting to win any sort of prize, but with Clyde passing away and the oldest having a hard time with it, I thought it would be nice to comment to try to win him the decal.

I shared that we had recently lost my son's pet rooster and that weekend we were actually having him cremated.  Kathy replied telling me to give her our address and she would send him whichever decal I thought he would like.

Sure enough, a few days later this arrived.

Johnathon was quiet for awhile while he thought about it and then said how nice it was that she sent the card.  I pointed out that there was something else in the envelope.

He was happy that someone thought about him and then I explained that she'd just recently lost one of her amazing roosters as well.  "Really?"  he asked.  Yes, I explained how her rooster had also been sick and she lost him too and I could see the light in his eyes change as he realized he wasn't alone.

A few days later the name plate arrived for Clyde's box.

The Chicken Chick

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R.I.P. Clyde

Clyde took a turn for the worst last night and didn't stand up on his own a single time.  Even when we got him out of the crate to give him his medicine, he wasn't opening his eyes for very long.  

This morning, his comb was nearly all black and he would only open one eye briefly.  His breathing was very labored and I knew he wasn't going to last very much longer.  Johnathon went outside to check on him and watched him take list last few breaths.

It was devastating and has taken a major toll on both of us.  I started to dig a grave for him but quickly realized I wouldn't be able to bury him the same way we had buried the other birds.  I found a place that would cremate him and we will be picking up his ashes in a wood box this weekend.

Clyde was an amazing bird and definitely was a very influential part of our family learning that chickens were more than just egg producers.  His personality was a delight to see each day from the way that he would call his girls over to get treats he had found to the way that he came running to us each time that we came outside.  

He is missed and will be missed every day both by the oldest son and I, as well as his girls.  

These pictures are in order from when we first got him at about 3 months old to the last picture we have of him when he was healthy.  I'm choosing to leave the pictures of him in his weakened state out of this post as that isn't how he deserves to be remembered.  He was a tough bird and a fierce protector of his girls, but was an amazing friend to my oldest son.

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Clyde with two of his daughters

Doing his manly duties

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