saying goodbye

This may be a bit unpleasant of a post....
so I have given a warning before I write further...
please do not read on... if you dont like to say goodbye.


We had to say goodbye,
to a chicken.

I have always said, "these birds are not pets".  although, they have become somewhat of a part of our family.  

.

But, one bird... had to go.
Do you remember me saying that within my first year of keeping chickens that I have experienced the gamut of urban chicken keeping.  Well, this experience does not fall short.... trust me.
A while ago the birds had a huge moulting season.... uggg.
but after the moult, one of the birds  began to lay eggs without a hardened shell ( paper thin, even flimsy).  I tried everything from adding calcium, oyster shells, and even yogurt to her diet.. and her shells were still super soft.  The term, in the chicken farming world, is called "rubber eggs" (and the term is fitting~ they are just like rubbery slimy film).  With having 3 birds- I was having the hardest time figuring which bird it was~ I had an idea~ but still was not 100% sure... until this past week.

Having rubber eggs is a problem because the other birds begin to eat the eggs... thus gaining an appetite for the delicacy.  Well, who can blame them.. right... eggs are pretty darn delicious!  So, not only were we down the one egg from the "rubber laying" chicken but now the other birds are pecking at the good eggs....
causing my egg counts to be... at times... non existent.

Last night... I found out which bird was the "rubber laying" bird.... I literally watched it fall out from her.  It was both creepy and interesting.... but, without a doubt~ I had my bird.  Now, I had to decide on what to do.  After talking it through... we decided....
I had to get rid of her.
plain and simple.
I wont go into details on how or what we (my husband) did.  The hubby had to do it~ because the drama I would have created would have been to much for this house of boys (understatement!).  But... I have reminded myself~ "these birds are not pets... they are producers".
ALL this to say,
we now have two birds....
but, the great thing is.... I get to go and buy two more....  now experiencing the joys of combining broads.
oh, this life I live... is quite interesting. Don't you think?