Thanks so much for the good wishes for both Amy's ballet performance and for poorly Toffee. Amy had a wonderful time and really enjoyed performing on such a big stage. We were really proud to see her up there giving it her all.
Unfortunately Toffee did not have such a good weekend. I inspected her foot and leg and thoroughly bathed it but there was no sign of cuts, bruises, breaks, nibbles (although there's no way any rodents could get into our run) and she still had movement in the toes and could just about weight bear on the leg. Unfortunately though she stopped eating the regular chicken food on Saturday and so I put her on the rickets diet that I'd read about – she seemed to enjoy this but was still only eating a little. She wasn't showing other signs of illness so we made her a comfy woodshavings bed and waited to see if rest would help.
Sadly though she died during Sunday night. I'm hoping that the absence of other symptoms means that she didn't have an infectious disease that the others might get but to play safe we've thoroughly cleaned everything and are dosing Mrs Black and Butterscotch up with vitamins. We're so sad to have lost Toffee but it feels a little better knowing that she had a good life here with lots of treats, a comfy home and a little love which is much more than most of her commercially bred cousins can dream of.
little cotton rabbits 
That’s so sad. I’m sorry you lost your little friend but at least she was VERY loved. It’s very hard for everyone when a pet passes away. R.I.P. toffee
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Aw poor Toffee, so sorry for your loss, like you said though Toffe had a lovely life with you, you can take some comfort from that. Beautiful pics of Amy, glad her ballet performance went so well.xx
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Well done to Amy, so glad to hear she enjoyed the performance. Sad news about Toffee, but you did your best and gave her a good, happy life.
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So sorry to hear about Toffee 😦 Such sad news.
Amy looks very lovely, and glad it went well.
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Oh that’s so sad, she looked so cute in your previous post, I wasn’t expecting such a sad ending… She did have a happy life, that’s what matters xx
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Well done to Amy ….. very sorry to hear about Toffee fingers crossed no nasty diseases
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Oh I’m really sorry Julie to hear about poor Toffee. It’s never ever easy losing little animal friends. The only comfort is knowing you gave her the best life she could have had.
Glad Amy’s performance went well, she looks lovely in her costume!
Vivienne x
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I’m so sorry to hear about Toffee. Thinking of you all. K x
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Sorry to hear about poor Toffee but at least she had a happy life.
Amy looks wonderful!
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Oh, I’m so sorry about Toffee — that’s so very sad. Amy looks adorable — I’ll bet she had a wonderful time!
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Oh, I’m sorry to hear about Toffee but you’re right, she had a good life. I hope the children haven’t taken it too hard.
Huge congrats to Amy – she looks wonderful!
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Oh Amy does look super in that costume, gald it all went well. Sorry to hear about Toffee.
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How very sad to lose Toffee. Amy looks adorable!
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So happy for Amy. She looks adorable in her costume.
But, I’m so sorry the weekend ended on such a sad note. It’s always hard losing a pet – especially for the kids. Each day will get better.
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Lovely ballet photos, thanks for sharing them!
We have friends who live in the country and their chickens regularly are attacked by coyotes, raccoons or opossums. So Toffee had it pretty good in your little coop.
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I’m sorry to hear about Toffee.
Congratulations to Amy for a successful recital. Those are always so much fun for everyone.
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Your daughter looks lovely. So sad to hear about Toffee 😦
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Poor Toffee, but as you said she had a good life with you.
Love Amy’s costume!
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I think unless you’ve loved a chicken it’s hard to know how lovable they are. My kids loved Cinnamon…a chicken at our horse back riding lessons. It was hard for them to leave the chicken each week when it was time to go home. Sorry for your loss.
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So sorry to hear about poor Toffee x
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So sorry to hear about Toffee. I hope the children are coping as well as can be expected. It’s sad when pets move on and I don’t think children really express how they feel. I know I didn’t as a child. Hope the other chucks are ok. We lost one of our chickens to a fox last year and it really stressed them out and they started some very anti-social pecking behaviour to the point of drawing blood – urgh!
Pen x
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Sorry to hear about your little hen, we have 14 chickens and have found they don’t show symptoms of illness until they know they are going to die because if they did they know the others would pick on them. Such a shame but she sounds like she has had a pampered life.x
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Oh dear, poor little toffee.x
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That’s a shame – birds are so fragile. I’m sure she led the life of Riley with you, thoroughly pampered!
Your daughter looks adorable in those pictures!
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Oh what a tragedy. You must all be so sad but you are right, she did have a lovely life.
Well done to Amy, I’m sure she was the star of the show.
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Oh poor Toffee. As you say though, you know she led a happy life and the you did all you could for her.
It’s good to hear that Amy enjoyed her big show and that it all went smoothly. Does this mean you’ll get to sew many, many dancing costumes as well as knitting?
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Poor Toffee.:-(
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You have a beautiful daughter and I bet you are very proud of her and the wonderful performance she did. Sorry to hear about Toffee. What a beautiful “animal”.
Joan, Wisconsin USA
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Your daughter is stunningly lovely.
And the comfort I have with my animals is that I have given them my all – my love, my effort, every comfort I can manage. Death is not terrible. But life can be. I make sure it never is.
And so, I know, do you.
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What lovely photos of Amy. But sad news about Toffee – but as you say, she had a really lovely life with you and it sounds like she had a calm and peaceful death too. Lucy x
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So sorry about Toffee – it sounds like you did absolutely everything you could have done.
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Amy looks lovely, Julie – and so grown up! Sorry to hear about Toffee but I think she was very fortunate to live with such a caring family. Mary x
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Oh Julie,
I was soo sorry to hear about Toffee.
Love Carole from Rossendale xxxx
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Oh dear I hope the kids were not too upset, my boys (and me) always cry when we lose someone, it doesn’t get any easier the more you have either. Amy looks lovely in her costume! Have a great weekend 🙂
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I couldn’t resist visiting your site with a sweet little name like “Cotton Rabbits”… I will be back, I’m certain. Your blog is wonderful. Kate~
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Sorry about poor Toffee. I’m sure the other chickens will be fine.
Lovely photos of Amy. Her show sounds good.
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You must be very proud of Amy , I can remember how welled up i was after my girls performed.Did Toby get to see her ?
Sorry to hear about Toffee, just hold on to the fact that she had a blessed life with your family ,animals passing away is never easy.
Take care
gingerspice
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Hi Julie,
I return to read your sad news of Toffee…I know how much you love your hens and they certainly have a good life at your house.
Amy looks wonderful. Her outfit is adorable.
Marie x
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So sorry to hear about Toffee.
Glad Amy enjoyed the show, she looks wonderful in her outfit xx
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So sorry to read about Toffee.
Amy looks fantastic! Every inch the dancer! Glad the show went well. Jenni x
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My word, look at the size of your Amy! When did she get so grown up? She’s just beautiful – well done you 🙂
I’m so sorry to hear about Toffee, you really gave her a life Julie and you made the end so peaceful and filled with love for her. I hope you’ll consider replacing her? xx
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… poor Toffee… you could always replace her with a rescue hen… just a thought 🙂
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So sorry – we lost our first chicken and I was really sad – my dad thought this this was hilarious as I have roast chicken most weeks – but its not the same! Just watch out for red mites if you have a wooden house; we thought she was broody but in fact the hutch was crawling with the blighters – apparently wooden coops are the worst for it! Hope everything else turns out ok
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