Texas Family Pens Obit For Beloved Pet Chicken

COLLEGE STATION, TX — A fitting and final tribute to loved ones is often expressed in an obituary, and in nearly every case, the obituary is written for a person who impacted others.

However, a family in College Station with ties to Houston felt the need to share their heartfelt love for their pet chicken, affectionately known as Big Mama.

The Rhode Island Red chicken who clucked her way into the Sword family in September 2013, was indeed pretty darned special to Stephanie, Gregory and their sons.

But things didn't start out so great for Big Mama, who started out her life in the Bayou City.

The first few years of Big Mama’s life were spent in a Houston apartment, according to a report in the College Station Eagle.

Unable to keep her any longer, Big Mama’s first caretaker, who called her Angie, decided she’d reached the end and took her to be put down.

The veterinarian who was to send the bird to her final reward, convinced her owner to put her up for adoption instead.

Thus, the former Houston-area bird was back on the market.

The Swords found out about Angie the chicken through emails sent from the veterinarian at the Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine, and fell in love.

Stephani Sword, who wrote Big Mama’s obituary, said, “We were hooked instantly.”

Big Mama was introduced to the flock of other chickens, but she wasn’t having any of it at first, and frequently tried to sneak into the house and even slept on the porch frequently.

However, Big Mama eventually came to realize she was definitely a chicken, and warmed to the other chickens in the Sword chicken coop.

And she became a beloved member of the family.

In fact, Big Mama was so beloved that she had a place of honor in the Swords’s 2017 Christmas photo, the Eagle reported.

But on Sunday, Jan. 21, Big Mama crossed over to that big chicken coop in the sky.

She was found by her family that morning in her favorite spot inside the chicken coop.

Since the obituary was published, it has made the rounds on social media, and even spurred local song writer Colby Pelzel to pen a little ditty paying homage to the beloved bird.

Big Mama is survived by friends in the chicken coop: Runt, Ms. S, Bubbles, Funky, Lucky and Blondie.

Image: (AP Photo/Rob Carr)

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