Very sad day :(

[Boiled Octopus]

So today my little silver sebright bantam was attacked and died. She was 7 years old, and I assume it was a fox who waited when I was on the school run with the children, and killed her. Apparently they are that cunning and will watch movements of humans.

It took me two hours to find her little body, stuck at the end of a rotten trunk. I had to follow a trail of feathers and noticed she had a large chunk taken out of her breast .

Have pics below. Guessing it must have been a fox?

 

[GermanKennhuhn]

I’m so sorry!

 

[Boiled Octopus]

I’m so sorry!

Thanks. Friends don't really realise how attached you can get to these little things. "They're only chickens", they say! I only have one left now, and she is clearly traumatised by this whole thing.

 

[Frankiegirl]

I am sorry you lost your little one.

 

[GermanKennhuhn]

Thanks. Friends don't really realise how attached you can get to these little things. "They're only chickens", they say! I only have one left now, and she is clearly traumatised by this whole thing.

I understand. It’s hard to lose a chicken. You’ll always have a memory though.
Are you planning to get some companions for your one?

 

[Boiled Octopus]

I understand. It’s hard to lose a chicken. You’ll always have a memory though.
Are you planning to get some companions for your one?

I think I may have to as I know how lonely they can get by themselves. Problem is, all of a sudden I have a predator who will likely target them. I may have to sit around with a rifle for a bit before any decisions are made.

 

[neo71665]

I'd get a trap and use whats left to make sure whatever got her gets the same fate

 

[Callender Girl]

Yeah, some people don't understand why I cry when I lose a chicken or why I bury them and put up markers.

I am so sorry about your girl. Hope your remaining hen makes a new friend. I know it's traumatizing for the survivor. It took my Buff Orp who witnessed her coop mates' deaths, a long time to get back to being her old self.

 

[GermanKennhuhn]

I think I may have to as I know how lonely they can get by themselves. Problem is, all of a sudden I have a predator who will likely target them. I may have to sit around with a rifle for a bit before any decisions are made.

Yeah.
Is your coop predator proof? Is so, you could just stop free ranging for a while.
Good luck!

 

[CHlCKEN]

So today my little silver sebright bantam was attacked and died. She was 7 years old, and I assume it was a fox who waited when I was on the school run with the children, and killed her. Apparently they are that cunning and will watch movements of humans.

It took me two hours to find her little body, stuck at the end of a rotten trunk. I had to follow a trail of feathers and noticed she had a large chunk taken out of her breast .

Have pics below. Guessing it must have been a fox?

I’m so sorry. It’s hard to tell exactly what it was since lots of predators go for the breast/crop area. I’m so sorry you found her like this- especially after a long life well and not fully lived. A loss like this is hard on you, the kids, and most of all the flock. I had lost 8 out Of my flock one day. After that my poor Pebbles was never herself- depressed, and started to have health issues, and died at 2 years old a year later. I was so sad to lose my birds that day, and Pebbles all that time afterward. Chickens have feelings to, and they certainly are capable of loving just as much as you I hope your flock recovers I’m so sorry this happend.