‘Little House on the Prairie’ Star Melissa Gilbert Reveals ‘Terrible’ Family Loss

Melissa Gilbert is mourning the loss of three of her winged family members: chickens named Betty-Jean, Coco, and Peep.

“Terrible, sad day,” the Little House on the Prairie alum wrote in an Instagram post on Saturday, June 7, from her home in Sullivan County, New York. “A raccoon broke into our coop and killed our three chickens. Didn’t even eat them. Just killed them and left. We feel awfully sad. Rest in peace, Betty-Jean, Coco, and Peep. We really loved you.”

Commenters, including celebrities, flooded Gilbert’s post with condolences.

“Oh my gosh, sweetie, I’m so sorry,” wrote One Day at a Time actor Glenn Scarpelli.

“Oh no! I’m so, so sorry,” said The Young and the Restless star Tracey Bregman.

And The Go-Go’s guitarist Jane Wiedlin wrote, “How heartbreaking. I’m sorry for your loss. People don’t think chickens have personalities, but they absolutely do!”

 

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Gilbert had just given her chickens a shout-out in an Instagram tribute to husband Timothy Busfield this April.

“12 years of true partnership, love, laughter, compassion, commitment, passion, laughter, cooking, kids, grandchildren, chickens, dogs, creating homes, films, plays, television,” she wrote. “12 years of writing together, traveling, cuddling, delicious meals, romantic getaways, spooning, reflecting, meditating, praying. 12 years of baseball, yoga, dance class. 12 years of adventure, comfort, care, and synergy. 12 years married. 12 perfect years with my favorite person, who has my favorite face and my favorite soul. How lucky I am. I love you @timbusfield. Happy anniversary.”

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The month before that, Gilbert shared an Instagram photo of the eggs she was eating for breakfast — Gwyneth Paltrow’s Parmesan Asparagus with Poached Eggs recipe, to be exact — after scooping them from the coop. “Favorite breakfast,” she wrote at the time. “Recipe courtesy [of] @gwynethpaltrow. Eggs courtesy of my chickens.”

Gilbert and Busfield bought their Catskills home — a cottage on 14 acres of land — in 2018 and turned the property into a farm, as People reported in 2022. “This is what I’ve always wanted,” Gilbert told the magazine.

And their farm life is a far cry from Hollywood glamour, as Gilbert told CBS Sunday Morning in 2020. “It’s very rustic,” she said. “Just look at my hands — I have blisters from shoveling and there’s dirt everywhere constantly. … This is our Little House in the Catskills, I guess you can call it.”