Bye bye Bella

It is with great sadness I have to report the passing of another of our ex-batts, yesterday morning. Bellatrix (so named because when we took her out of her carrier she tried to peck my finger) did not turn out to be dastardly she did however turn out to be lovely.

This is her just a couple of hours after we rescued her, me just about to put her into her new coop with her new sisters. She must have been scared, who wouldn't be? Bellatrix was the first to regrow her feathers and soon went from this

 beautiful but slightly scruffy looking feathers to her full regal elegance

Bellatrix in the garden a few weeks ago, she would always come for a cuddle if I knelt down, mostly because she liked it but partly as I could reach the strawberries that she loved and mostly couldn't reach...

There is a massive hole in the coop that she has left & while I was lucky enough to share her last few hours her sisters are still wondering where she has gone, especially her nestbox pal & late recruit to the flock Bea

Bella (left) & Bea (right) always together. As in children you aren't supposed to have favourites but I will say Bella held a special place in my heart and I have shed a fair few tears for her (I think anyone who rescues ex-battery hens will tell you, no matter how long a retirement they get it never seems enough). We held a cremation for Bella on Friday night drinking a dram to her memory and thanking the gods that we were lucky enough to share at least some of her days. Her ashes rest under my favourite garden tree, plain looking for most of the year but with delicate white flowers in the spring. Goodbye my golden girl you will be missed, whenever I see strawberries I will think of you.