Monday was another sad day at the ‘lands. Everyone’s favourite rooster – by far – Tiarra (that’s how the kids insist we spell it) passed away. Since his birth Wa-Wa, as he is also known (their spelling too) has been the kindest gentlest chicken you can imagine, especially for a rooster. But maybe it was his kind nature that lead to his demise?

Everyone was fond of Wa-Wa as he was more affectionately known. Any of the kids, or their friends, could pick him up or gently stroke him – he was never, ever aggressive in any way.

Whenever they got food, he would call his hens with his weird little “wha-wha” call, so eventually his whole little tribe of Scot Greys were called the Wa-Was. In fact, even the Wyandottes loved hanging out around Wa-Wa. Whenever they got the chance, they deflected from Dreamland’s mansion to hang out or even sleep with Wa-Wa in the Homeland coop.

But two things in particular were against Wa-Wa, and they both have to do with Flappy (AKA Midnight). You see Flappy is Wa-Wa’s half-brother, but they are total opposites in temperament. Flappy is the most obnoxious cheeky rooster you have ever seen. The one crime he committed is that he tried his luck on the duck hens. Since then, the drakes hate his guts and attack him whenever they get the chance (to the extent that we separated them). However, it seems the ducks can’t see, or maybe don’t want to see, the difference between Flappy and Wa-Wa, so one day a few weeks ago, the gate was left open and the ducks went full tilt at Wa-Wa. Luckily we were alerted by the commotion, so we rescued him where the two drakes had him pinned down and were literally suffocating him. The second crime Flappy committed is whenever he got the chance he would hop the fence and attack Wa-Wa. Flappy’s last attack (before I raised the fence and eventually clipped his wings) happened a few days after the duck incident. Since Flappy’s attack, Wa-Wa progressively got worse and worse. He stumbled around more and more and eventually he couldn’t forage for his own food anymore – so we fed him separately. As he got weaker, he started sleeping in one of the lay boxes, where one of the hens would always join him. Don’t tell me they’re dumb animals.

However, on Monday, Markus didn’t feel well and stayed at home. Wa-Wa died peacefully in his arms. Markus, of course, was devastated. Wa-Wa got a decent burial and everyone in the family contributed to his plague.

Anyway – that’s a pretty long eulogy for a one year old chicken. I guess we do love our animals a lot. Mind you, there were a few related stories woven in between too…