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Hen Fan

Oh no! My son has squashed a hen...

By Hen Fan, in The Nesting Box

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Hen Fan Chicken Eggspert

Hen Fan

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How do you explain to a 3 year old that he has just "loved" his beloved hen to death? Mercifully I have not had to use any of the flakey explanations that I had to construct these last few days.

 

The day before H's 3rd birthday he was playing with his two hens Rosie and Pansy in the garden. My attention was turned to H's baby brother C. H was gently stroking Rosie. All was calm. Too calm. H was lying on the ground. Fine. I come nearer. Not fine. Rosie is underneath H.

"What have you done?" I say. "

She made a funny noise" says H.

"OMG" I say. "Have you squashed her?"

"Yes"

 

Rosie does not look good. She's lying on the floor. She doesn't get up. I gently help her get up. I then notice that she has got a protuberance from her nether regions. Oh my lord he's squashed her so much that he's given her a prolapse. Don't panic, what shall I do? deep breath. Now, being a mother prepares you for many things and I am pretty familiar with close quarter bottoms but I hadn't banked on getting so close to poor Rosie's nethers. Nonetheless, I gingerly pushed what shouldn't have been out in. Clearly the experience was marginally better for me than it was for Rosie who shut her eyes and looked like it was curtains.

 

"Get home now" "H has killed a hen" I screamed at darling husband. Twenty minutes later I'm sitting in tears in the vets with Rosie in a cardboard box under the baby's blanket.

"She's very shocked. It could go either way" says the vet. "You can't let your son think he did it" says the veterinary nurse. "Oh my god, my child's a killer" I think.

 

The vet agreed to keep Rosie in for the night. I fully expected that it was the last time I'd see the hen.

 

The following day is the day of H's birthday part but our thoughts immediately turn to Rosie. We ring the vet expecting the worst. "She's still with us" she says. "In fact you can pick her up this afternoon."

We are amazed. We can't believe it, we're in such a state of disbelief that we ask for her to be kept in another night to be sure.

I collect Rosie the next day and she is looking battered and bruised but very definitely alive.

 

That was two weeks ago and day by day Rosie has got stronger. She's now back to her old self and is laying every day. All in all very happy and very lucky ending.

 

And I've learned a huge lesson that I shouldn't turn my back for a second when H has the hens out.

 

 

 

 

But how do you explain to a 3 year old boy that he's just "loved" his beloved hen to death? Well here are a few of the suggestions.

 

The hen has gone to find another family who do not squash hens.

You didn't kill her darling. The hen wasn't very well anyway.

The hen has gone on holiday. (This approach used very successfully when H's favourite cuddly toy went AWOL)

 

They aren't very good are they? But hopefully this post will serve as a cautionary tale to warn people that small boys and hens should be supervised at all times.

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jomaxsmith All Knowing Superchicken

jomaxsmith

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I am sorry but I laughed at that. I shouldn't - I have two small boys who, although unlikely to cuddle my flighty chooks inside out, are quite likely to accidentally launch one with a miskicked football.

 

I'm glad Rosie's ok - as much for your son's sake as anything else as that was almost the kind of story a Best Man's speech is based on.

 

xx

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Seagazer Passionate Poultry Keeper

Seagazer

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Oh dear - I'm glad she's better now.

 

I have to say that my OH's little brother stepped on his guinea pig when he was a hefty toddler and broke Fred's back and he died. He has never been allowed to forget it and OH is 45 and his brother is nearly 40. It still gets routinely brought up!

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Lesley Eggsistentialist

Lesley

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I'm glad there was a happy ending :D - I couldn't help but laugh :lol::oops:

 

Reminds me of my Gran's neighbour - he lost his budgie and spent all day looking for it - he found it behind his cushion on the sofa, squashed :? I laughed then as well :oops: - a nervous reaction I think......

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little chickadee Chatty Chicken

little chickadee

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Goodness :shock: I know how easy it is for things to happen when your back is turned for just one second!

 

My brother actually killed the school gerbil by dropping a wooden block on it when he was in reception. Don't now how deliberate it was! He also dropped a kitten in the ashes of a bonfire because he thought it would be nice and warm (she survived, but went to live with another family). Luckily he is now a responsible pet owner and has had his labrador for 6 years without doing anything horrible to her :lol:

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chickencam SUPER CHICKEN!!!

chickencam

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Ooh what a mixture of emotions :shock:

 

He meant no harm I'm sure and he will never live it down :lol:

 

The budgie story :lol::shock:

 

It did however remind me of when I used to help out the gamekeeper of the estate where my Dad was head gardener when I was 7 years old. I was given the job of checking on and feeding some day old chicks in a brooder shed and I accidentally stepped on one and killed it :cry: I took it outside and buried it under a tree and have felt guilty about it ever since :(

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