Unsecure chicken perches

[mrswalton]

2 of my 3 chickens were killed last night, presumably by a fox. I forgot to lock them up for the night. Feel sick with guilt. One girl has totally gone, one was mangled and Ariel, the remaining one is unharmed.

 

She's really quiet and looks terribly lonely. I need to get her some friends asap I suppose.

 

I've not told my little girl yet. She's nearly 4 and I'm not quite sure what to tell her.

 

Poor poor Cinders and Aurora :(

 

xx zoe xx

[Dolly]

So sorry to hear your sad news, it's awful losing a hen under any circumstances. Don't beat yourself up, we are only human afterall and all make mistakes, I know I have.

I would definately recommend getting your remaining girl some friends though, they really don't like being on their own, mine look lost when the other is just in the nest box laying an egg

[Chucky Mama]

Poor you I have got up in the morning a couple of time to see that the girls haven't been shut in and have so far been lucky. Try not to beat yourself up too much about it. I lost 2 to illness last week and the remaining 2 looked very lost without 2 of their gang. Getting more would be a good idea as she will need some company.

[the-real-tinkerbell]

i had a dog attcak and lost my 3 exbatts i was really honest with my oldest hes 12 , my 6yr old (they were her exbatts ) i was less honest and told her they had died and we buried empty shoe boxs at the top of the garden , she didnt need to know that the were spread all over the garden and i told my 3yr old that they had run away ,

 

i think you need to go with whats best for her age and level of understanding

 

im sorry this has happened to you it is a really awfull thing to have to see

 

it is not your fault i did everyhing i could to keep my girls safe but the dogs managed to get the back off the go to get in to the WIR

[Tweety]

Very sorry about your girls, and that you are feeling so bad about it. Any one of us can forget to lock up the girls at night, and it is just a matter of luck, or should I say bad luck, if a fox happens to come along on that particular night.

 

The others are right, your lone girl needs some friends and, hopefully, getting some new girls will help you all with the loss.

[BocBoc]

I think most of us have been there - these things happen so don't beat yourself up.

 

Try to be positive and look forward to getting your new girls

[Olly]

Sorry to hear it, and I echo what others have said - it's the easiest thing in the world to forget to do, and if you have a young child to look after then you are bound to have other distractions.

 

A horrid experience, but I hope that you can find a way to explain to your daughter at the right level for her, and dare I say it, the excitement of getting some new chickens to keep your lonely girl company will probably help her to overcome it.

[gongladosh]

Really sorry to hear this, unfortunately you were unlucky with the fox - wrong place, wrong time. Don't beat yourself up though, you gave your girls a great life.

 

Are you close to that hen farm that's closing - perhaps you could replace with hens from there?

[chickenNutter]

So sorry, but please don't beat yourself up, these things happen. Perhaps tell your daughter they just died, and leave the fox bit out?

[Tiggy]

sorry to hear this, I left mine in the garden and went to the green house & the fox got 3 of the 4 in the middle of the day, its horrible but it happens

[Egluntyne]

Sorry to hear it. There but for the grace of ... etc.

[Henergy]

How sad for you. Hope your daughter can be brave

[Lewis]

I'm sorry

Don't beat yourself up about it ... I've been there too.

Hope you and your daughter are ok

[Luvachicken]

Awww, so sorry to read about your chickens.

I hope you and your daughter are ok.

xxx

[WitchHazel]

so sorry to hear about your girls.

 

It's a horrible thing to happen, but it was just an accident.

 

I would tell your little one that they died, but not that a fox got them. CHildren have to understand that death is a natural part of life, and having pets is a way of helping them understand and be less afraid.

 

to you

Hazel

[Henslaved]

Sorry to hear about your girls , but as others have said, we are only human and can't remember everything all of the time. Hope you figure out what's best to tell your daughter and that she understands. Hopefully getting some new girls will help with the loss.

[tracyann]

I am sorry to hear about your news. These things happen, we are all human and nothing we can do can stop Mr Fox's antics, unfortunately it goes with the territory of chicken keeping. Hence why my birds are in a brick garage at night and I am having the outside run built in the next couple of weeks and they will still be going into bed at nights. Foxes are very prevelent here where I live, and I will do whatever I need to to stop them coming into my garden.

 

Don't be disheartened, you can tell your daughter that your chickens have gone to live with the angels.

 

But I wouldn't leave the one on her own, think its a case of MOREHENS DISEASE.... At least another three to keep her company

[mollyripkim]

Oh I am so sorry you lost your girls but don't beat yourself up, you were just unlucky that the fox came along. I really hope that your children are ok too. Hopefully some new girls will help! When my son was 4 ish (now 22) his guinea pig died overnight and I got rid of the body and explained that he had gone to heaven but he kept asking if we could go visit! I learnt the lesson and when the next pet died I let him see and held a little burial. Bizarrely I made a cake for afterwards and he still jokes about it now. Anyway, sending lots of hugs.

[coco]

Don't feel bad its a mistake any of us could make, we are all only human as others have said it was just bad luck. Children deal with death a lot better than adults do and you may find she accepts it especially with new chickens to look forward too.

[JillM]

Sorry to hear about this, it must be awful for you.

 

As for what to tell your child - I've always been completely honest with my children about everything (apart from those little things that make childhood more interesting like tooth fairies and father christmas ). Then if they have questions it is easier to explain, and they will grow up knowing you are honest with them. As a child I was told my newborn brother was with Jesus, and around the same age I was told my rabbit had gone to live with Father Christmas. At that age I just thought it was very selfish of people like that (who you are brought up to trust) to take things away from me. So from a child's point of view I think honesty is much the better policy, but you know you're own child best

 

Good luck planning the new chickens - hopefully you will both enjoy that!

[mrswalton]

Thank you for your lovely replies everyone. My little girl didn't bat an eyelid really. I didn't mention the fox, don't want her to think foxes are scary. She was just very sweet to Ariel and gave her cuddles (poor Ariel lol).

We're off to get 2 or 3 more ex bats from happy chicks on Sunday. Unfortunately we're in Manchester otherwise we would definately have rescued some of the free range hens.

 

X zoe x

 

RIP Cinders and Aurora x

[chuckmum6]

Glad your getting some more, and very sorry to read what happened, so easy to do. I woke up a few nights ago at 2 am remembering I hadn't closed the run door - I was lucky but it was just luck.

With children I think it is right we explain about death, it was one small reason we had guinea pigs and goldfish when my children were tiny, exposing them to the joy and sorrow of life with pets will maybe help them deal with death in humans more clearly?

 

Enjoy choosing your new chickens whilst remembering the old.

[oneyolktoanother]

so sorry for your lossess, don't give your self a hard time these things do happen