Smart Feeder - Light sensor values

[Chicken Kitty]

Travelling back from a lovely holiday in Cornwall yesterday morning we found out from my Mum that my lovely chicken, Clover, was taken by a fox very early that morning

My Mum had done a fabulous job of looking after them for us all week, and then as they were being put in their WIR early Friday evening Clover disappeared....My Mum and both my neighbours searched for her for over an hour and then my Mum returned again at dusk to see if she had reappeared but there was no sign of her, so reluctantly the other girls were put to bed without her. My Mum returned early Saturday morning to find feathers all over the grass.....she wanted to clear them up but I made her leave them.....I needed to see for myself to believe it had happened (I hope that makes sense).

Lots of tears on the journey home, but at least we knew in advance so were able to spare the children seeing the aftermath by dropping them at Grandma's.

I followed the feathers into the farmers field behind our house and managed to convince myself (ridiculously, I now realize) that maybe she had escaped the fox's clutches and was waiting, injured, for me to rescue her. Then a few feet from where she was obviously snatched, I found her head under a bush.

I am heartbroken

When my Mum called me to say she couldn't find her, I knew she wouldn't have left the garden.....I knew she'd hidden herself away somewhere to lay an egg and would hide away all night, I just hoped that if by chance a fox came by this morning she'd fly up into a tree/roof of the shed/run and save herself. My Mum feels terrible, but she did a fine job of trying to find her in our large garden....it's just that no one knows my girls like me.....I discovered later in afternoon, a weeks worth of her eggs hidden in the undergrowth only a few feet from the run....If I'd been here Friday night I'd have found her before bedtime and she would still be here.

She'd obviously woken up and was enjoying a bit of solo FR while her friends were 'stuck' in the run when Mr fox struck. My neighbours dog was woken at 5am, so I can pretty much work out the chain of events.

My beautiful, beautiful Clover, endlessly broody but always delightful. xxxxxx

Sorry to go on so much, thank you for reading.

[merlina]

really sorry to hear about your Clover

try and take comfort from the fact that she had a lovely life and her untimely end would have been quick

[Purplemaniacs]

What a sad end to your holiday.

 

I feel for your mum it is such a responsibility looking after animals for people.

 

Chrissie

[hopingforchickens]

So sorry to hear this

[LolaCola]

<> so sorry for you, your mum and dc's.

[mollyripkim]

So sorry to hear this, brought a tear to my eye, sending hugs to all of you. It is so difficult looking after other peoples animals, as you say no-one knows them like we do but ultimately we have to have holidays etc so cannot be there 24 / 7.

Hope your children are ok too, a sad end to your holiday.

[Luvachicken]

Awww, sorry to hear about Clover.

She was obviously a much loved pet.

Sending hugs xxx

[Chicken Kitty]

Thank you all for your kind words. I am quite terrified to let the other four out to FR, so I have taken to following them around the garden and calling them back if they go even slightly out of sight!....I know I'm going to need to relax and let them enjoy pecking around the garden again, but I guess that will just take a little time. x

[majuka]

Chicken Kitty, your thread has brought tears to my eyes My worst nightmare for any of my girls. Clover was obviously much loved and no doubt had an amazing life with you - more than some chickens can hope for.... Sweet dreams Clover.xx