Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[lyd119]

Hi there,

 

went out this morning and found only two of our girls there and the feathers of the other two scattered around the garden. My daughter has only just stopped crying, poor thing. It's just such a horrible way for them to go isn't it!

Just wondering what we should do now, should we get more or just leave things as they are?

 

thanks in advance.

 

Lydia

[Ain't Nobody Here]

How sad, I'm so sorry . I hope your daughter feels happier soon .

 

You'd certainly be ok just with two. I suppose it depends if you have the means to do an introduction (ie separate accommodation and run).

[lyd119]

we don't have the means for intros. it just seems strange only having two of them run out to meet us.

[Ain't Nobody Here]

It must be . What's your setup? You might be able to rig something up.

[clootie]

sorry to hear it. It's awful when this happens. I lost 4 at once - not nice.

[lyd119]

we have a shed with a shuttable pop-hole into our 4ft x 8ft WIR. there are two pop holes going out of the run in different directions. they then have an enclosed area of garden fenced with chicken wire. no part of the setup was damaged strangely.

 

Lydia

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Could you rig something up with chickenwire within your run? A cheap pet carrier can double as a second bedroom if you could fit it in your shed.

[lyd119]

yeah, will have a go. just too upset at the mo to start thinking about getting more.=]

[BeckyBoo]

So sorry to hear about your chickens, I hope your daughter is OK and you too. If you can't fix something with what you've got maybe you could borrow a house and run from someone?

 

Hope you're all feeling better in the morning

 

BeckyBoo

[Egluntyne]

Sorry to hear it. So many stories like this at the moment.

 

Hope your daughter is OK.

[Space Chick]

So sorry

[Olly]

So sorry to hear that. How strange that you don't know how it happened - is there any possibility that a fox could have got in and out of one of the popholes?

 

I would recommend getting more in due course, although two hens will be fine on their own you obviously had room for four. Introducing two to two isn't as bad as trying to integrate a singleton, there are always ways and means of dividing a run. However as you say, you need to come to terms with this first - what a horrible shock for you all.

[lyd119]

I have just found out why my daughter is so upset and how it all happened. she looks after the chickens all the time and she forgot to go and shut the pop-hole and so they either got out at 6 or the fox got in. she feels so guilty that she let them down and cries every time we mention it. poor thing.

[BeckyBoo]

Oh please give her hugs from all of us!! There can't be many people on here who can hand on heart say that their chickens have ALWAYS ALWAYS been totally secure. I got delayed today and came back to find my girls had put themselves to bed but I hadn't locked them in yet as I'd expected to be back earlier. Mine were lucky, but fox strikes are sadly very common, especially at this time of year, we're only human and so is she. It's not her fault, it's one of those darned things.

 

How old is your daughter, give her a big hug from me and my children, it could as easily have been me and mine. She would never have done it on purpose.

Big hugs xx

 

BeckyBoo

[lyd119]

she's 14 and can't believe how upset she's been. She has left them un-shut-up all night before but it was just unlucky this time. =(

[Plum]

Poor girl, such a horrid thing to happen.

[lyd119]

I know, and she keeps worrying about the other two and what they might be going through. She just feels so guilty, I've tried the huge bar of chocolate treatment and my friend has invited her to stop at theirs (my daughter's her daughter's friend) so she can take her mind off it.

[Ain't Nobody Here]

What a shame, poor girl . Tell her not to be too hard on herself. Things like that happen all the time to other Omleteers .

[lyd119]

will do. I've got to go now though =(

 

thanks for all your help and support guys, couldn't be part of better online forum all about chickens !!!!v

[Chicken Shirl]

These things happen. Poor girl, I feel for her. All of us have neglected to do what we should from time to time. {{{Hugs for you all}}} If you can manage to get a couple more it will cheer her up maybe.

[Poached]

hi

 

 

sorry to hear about it

 

 

when my chickens got eaten by a fox i had 20 left now to make up for it have strangely have 38 sitting in the garden and kitchen waiting for their breakfast(4 are 3 week old chicks)

[Reikiranf]

So sorry to hear your sad news, your daughter mustn't blame herself sadly it is nature & Mr Fox is very crafty & very determined.