Australian gardener says goodbye to his 'old black hen' with piercing eulogy: 'She's done a good job'

Every connection in the world leaves a lasting impact on us. As we get older, the fear of losing the formed connections over the years increases, and when death finally occurs, we are left with memories and kind words. A video surfaced on the internet where a retired soldier-turned-farmer gave a eulogy for his “old black hen.” Mark Valencia is a farmer from Australia who goes by @self_sufficient_me on Instagram. The video was published on July 14 and has garnered 311k views so far.

Valencia shared that it was abnormal for any hen to pass away naturally. He'd find them "dropped" off their perch at some point. But watching his old hen peacefully die in his farm prompted him to share the story. Their journey began eight years ago. Over the years, she became his constant companion, surviving attacks from lizards, ants, and other invasive animals. Additionally, she was also a matriarch of her flock and always smiled and jumped whenever she saw Valencia. He said that she behaved just like a dog when she saw him. 

The loss of his oldest companion brought immense pain to Valencia. As he gets older, he values life around him more. And even the loss of a chicken makes him think about how complicated the brigade of life and death is. He shared that his uncle once told him how aging made him conscious of life. “The older I get, the more I think about life and hate seeing things die,” his uncle had said. "I'm very much the same way," Valencia said. However, it was not until he turned 40 that he understood what his uncle meant. Now that he was 60, the thought struck him again when he saw his hen lying bereft of life on his farm.

According to a study by Science Direct, it has become important for pet owners to perform an after-death service. The research surveyed 2403 US pet owners and found that over 95% of these owners reported this as an important and necessary task. The population is 41.4% males and 57.9% females. Of their preferred service, 68% said they cremated their pets and 32% buried them. Participants highlighted that they required at least 20 minutes with their pets alone for after-death body care conversations. Valencia’s eulogy for his hen was part of the same. 

After retiring from service, Valencia decided to spend the rest of his life close to nature. He started gardening and sustainable farming. He and his wife, Nina, also a serving soldier, decided to move to the suburbs of Brisbane to pursue a quieter life. After struggling for five to six years, the couple became popular on social media. And since then, they have never looked back. Their journey acquainted them with a lot of animals, but losing one hurt his heart the most. People online also hailed his kind words. “This is the kind of respect animals deserve,” shared @justa_little_lemon_boy. “An important video and message. All life is sacred. It's beautiful to honor them as they transition into the next world,” shared @alysonmaiernaturopath.

You can find more wholesome moments from Mark Valencia's farm by following @self_sufficient_me on Instagram.