clarissahen Posted May 26, 2008 Share Posted May 26, 2008 VERY VERY sad....did what I always swore I would not do and popped inside for a few minutes while the girls were free-ranging/helping with the gardening. Fox got three in a blink of an eye. My dear Clarissa survived..all alone in her eglu now. Devastated. All my fault. Poor girls were all ex-battery from the BHWT. THey had a miz life until 3 months ago and now they've had a miz death. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottie Posted May 26, 2008 Share Posted May 26, 2008 Nothing you could have done - so sorry, Sheila Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen & co. Posted May 26, 2008 Share Posted May 26, 2008 Oh how dreadful, so sorry You gave them a lovely 3 months that they wouldn't have had otherwise Will you be able to get Clarissa some friends to keep her company? Karen x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nuggywoo Posted May 26, 2008 Share Posted May 26, 2008 I'm so very sorry. If it's any consolation (I know it's not but...) they had 3 months of life with you. (I'm about an hour from you if you needed a temp home for Clarissa.) x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooks Posted May 26, 2008 Share Posted May 26, 2008 so sorry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrs chook Posted May 26, 2008 Share Posted May 26, 2008 Aw I'm SO sorry to hear that! You mustn't blame yourself tho. I hope the other girly and you are ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
little cluckers Posted May 26, 2008 Share Posted May 26, 2008 Very sorry to hear your news but please don't blame yourself, I don't watch over mine while they free-range (maybe I should?) I just check out the window every once in a while if I go in. Your girls may have had a bad start in life but I'm sure that their last 3 months were wonderful and you should be proud of yourself for letting them have that. HUGS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lisa33 Posted May 26, 2008 Share Posted May 26, 2008 So Sorry about your girls. At least they had a taste of freedom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarissahen Posted May 26, 2008 Author Share Posted May 26, 2008 I feel so responsible because they came when I called them and followed me everywhere...sat on jumps while I rode my horse or scratched about in the muck heap. I know they would have come running for help if Ihad been outside and had not abandoned them. The fox must have been watching my every move. Been crying my eyes out. God knows what I'll do if anything happens to the horses or the cats.. Minty(Araminta) just died of shock. We've moved the eglu onto the drive right below my bedroom window ..the garden is enormous and everything is so tall now that there is just too much cover for a fox...WHen we move end June, hens will be in a 6om2 run with 6ft fence, plus skirt of mesh plus electric fence so I do hope this never happens again. Trouble was, I listened to their plaintive clucking from egg cube run and let them out...even though weather was vile and I cd have foreseen that I wd duck inside at some point. Poor, poor girls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarissahen Posted May 26, 2008 Author Share Posted May 26, 2008 Have put in a call to my BHWT coordinator to see if they can provide her with some company. She is quite a loner( that's why she escaped)..more attache dto me than the others so she may be fine.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrs chook Posted May 26, 2008 Share Posted May 26, 2008 Please don't be hard on yourself, you are upset enough already. It sounds from your garden that there was good cover too, and Mr/s Fox are so sneaky. As you say, when you move, have a fort knox reinforced house and start again safe in the knowledge that it'll be impenetrable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puffball Posted May 26, 2008 Share Posted May 26, 2008 sorry to hear your news - its one of those things where you wish you could turn back time... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarissahen Posted May 26, 2008 Author Share Posted May 26, 2008 Thank you all for your kind messages. Everyone says not my fault...but I was the one who let them out. They trusted me to look after them and I failed. There is no getting away from it. I shall be so much more careful in future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puffball Posted May 26, 2008 Share Posted May 26, 2008 Thank you all for your kind messages. Everyone says not my fault...but I was the one who let them out. They trusted me to look after them and I failed. There is no getting away from it.I shall be so much more careful in future. you made a genuine mistake - please don't feel guilty anybody could have done it. blame the fox if anybody for being such a sneaky *******! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted May 26, 2008 Share Posted May 26, 2008 So sorry to hear your bad news. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egg Lou Posted May 26, 2008 Share Posted May 26, 2008 (edited) So sorry to hear your sad news .. you must not blame yourself as you have given them such a good retirement! Edited May 26, 2008 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaylis1980 Posted May 26, 2008 Share Posted May 26, 2008 oh thats really horrible, im so sorry it relly isnt your fault though, it is the easiest thing to become complacent. take care Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
susanbb Posted May 26, 2008 Share Posted May 26, 2008 I am just so sorry to hear your news. Please do not blame yourself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*mummy_hen* Posted May 26, 2008 Share Posted May 26, 2008 Sorry for your awful news. I have had my ex-batts since Friday and am desperate to start letting them out, it's so easy to just take your eyes off them for a minute and it really wasn't at fault of your own. As you say, the fox must have been in the garden at the time for it to have happened so quickly, for all you know it could have tried it's luck if you were there at some point - i hope you get some company for your other little girl soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rustyangel Posted May 26, 2008 Share Posted May 26, 2008 I'm so so sorry to hear your news We have also had a fox attack today and one of our girls was just about to be carted off when I spotted the fox and ran out yelling. Thank heavens the fox dropped her but she was very shaken and has puncture wounds. She's in the house for the night and we are hoping she recovers. It all happened so fast that the fox must have been watching and waiting as it sounds like it was with you. Try not to blame yourself....my thoughts are with you. Debs x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarissahen Posted May 26, 2008 Author Share Posted May 26, 2008 You know, I have always had animals..espec hores and cats. If anyone had said I would love a bunch of barely disguised dinosaurs I wd have laughed...but I did love them. I must say I am soooo relieved Clarissa survived...she follows me close at heel and was punished by the others for it..because I did dig up worms just for her and show her the best bits on the muck heap. I just hope I can find her a nice friend. What is wrong with me? I did not cry this much when my husband died. I think it was that trust thing...they were rescued. It was my job to give them a really good life. Think I'll be hunting next season... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted May 26, 2008 Share Posted May 26, 2008 I'm so sorry to hear this awful news . I know others have said it, but you really mustn't blame yourself. There are numerous Omleteers who have lost their girls to foxes under numerous circumstances. It really is just terrible bad luck. Blame the fox . I hope you manage to get some new girls to help you get over it and to keep Clarissa company. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrs chook Posted May 26, 2008 Share Posted May 26, 2008 Bless you, look after your girly and yourself and I hope you find some lovely new friends for her. Take care and hope you get a good sleep Your hunting comment made me laugh, once you have been affected by the dreaded you tend to lose any sympathy with them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abbey Road Girl Posted May 26, 2008 Share Posted May 26, 2008 Dear Clarissa, Years ago when I lived in S. California, a lovely radio shrink (the late Dr David Viscott) comforted a person feeling responsibilty for a bad thing happening. He said, "You can't tie up all the loose ends in the university". He meant that you can't ensure that nothing goes wrong, no matter how hard you try. He related that when he was at university, he and his girlfriend were anxious to get rid of her parents who were visiting so that they could make love (understandable, right?). On the way home her parents were killed in an horrific accident with a vehicle transporting petrol. How is that for a guilt trip? I find it very difficult to encourage relatives to visit me just in case there would be a similar accident. However, how do you know that if you had gone 5 mph faster--or slower--in bringing your girls home that they wouldn't have enjoyed less and suffered more? Life is a lottery. We can but do our best. Big hugs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abbey Road Girl Posted May 26, 2008 Share Posted May 26, 2008 Sorry, I meant to type that you can't tie up all the loose ends in the universe. Bit of a difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
