I am so upset. We didn't close the coop early enough and they were gone. They were beautiful. I feel so aweful. Buffy, Macy, Lacy, and Yolanda are gone and it is my fault.
My Polish bantams were killed last night!
- Thread starter Dulcijean
- Start date
AWWWWW don't beat yourself up........most of us have done the same thing, accident's happen......so sorry about your loss
Sorry for your loss
Do not blame yourself completely. From experience you cannot protect your "babies" all the time. Even if you had closed them early, perhaps it would have post poned this event. Often when we have preditors, its a matter of time. I went out of raising birds for a number of years due to a racoon pushing the glass out of the window, gaining access and taking out 5 goslings.
I was heart broke for years.
Raising birds is not for the faint of heart, but just remember, those babies had the best life they could have had with you. They had food, love and much more then a lot of them.
So, keep your chin up and know that I'm sooo sorry for your loss. Its hard to see past the anger, sorry . When you get so you can look up above it, build a better mouse trap and adopt some more babies.
Many blessings, take care and know we care.
~kel
I was heart broke for years.
Raising birds is not for the faint of heart, but just remember, those babies had the best life they could have had with you. They had food, love and much more then a lot of them.
So, keep your chin up and know that I'm sooo sorry for your loss. Its hard to see past the anger, sorry . When you get so you can look up above it, build a better mouse trap and adopt some more babies.
Many blessings, take care and know we care.
~kel
I agree, don't be too hard on yourself....
It's so easy to forget to lock the coop every night let alone do it on time...
Having chickens means being able to suffer through the occassional losses....even when most of the time it's nobody's fault....
It's so easy to forget to lock the coop every night let alone do it on time...
Having chickens means being able to suffer through the occassional losses....even when most of the time it's nobody's fault....
I am guilty of not getting our ducks put away on time on many nights. So far, we have been lucky.... but those nights that I get home late, I am nervous as to what I will find.
Sorry for your loss... how sad.
Sorry for your loss... how sad.
- Thread starter
- #7
Thank you all so much for you thoughts, sympathy, and encouragment! I needed you kind words. God bless you all.
I put electric fencing around all of my chickens that way if I am a little late getting home (not often) I don't need to worry so much with the fence there.
I am so sorry for your loss
I am so sorry for your loss
Dulcijean --
I feel your pain, literally, since I recently made a mistake that resulted in my birds getting killed as well.
It's tough, but the best thing you can do is learn from your mistake. Try to figure out how to improve your enclosure or your management so that you have backup in case something goes wrong in the future. For instance, my birds got killed because I accidentally left the wrong dog outside at the wrong time of day and he broke into the pen. But if I had made my pen strong enough, then he wouldn't have been able to get to the birds in the first place. So -- what can you do to protect your birds in cases when you forget to close the coop? Perhaps make a fenced enclosure for them? Or if they're already in a fence, perhaps put a roof over it?
I'm very sorry you had this experience. Hang in there!
I feel your pain, literally, since I recently made a mistake that resulted in my birds getting killed as well.
It's tough, but the best thing you can do is learn from your mistake. Try to figure out how to improve your enclosure or your management so that you have backup in case something goes wrong in the future. For instance, my birds got killed because I accidentally left the wrong dog outside at the wrong time of day and he broke into the pen. But if I had made my pen strong enough, then he wouldn't have been able to get to the birds in the first place. So -- what can you do to protect your birds in cases when you forget to close the coop? Perhaps make a fenced enclosure for them? Or if they're already in a fence, perhaps put a roof over it?
I'm very sorry you had this experience. Hang in there!
- Thread starter
- #10
I called the breeder whom I got the hens from and she is convinced it was a fox. She said that because there were no traces of the birds except feathers from one. She, like everyone here, consoled me and told me that it happens and is no big deal. She lost 18 of her layers in the spring to a fox. I'm getting two more polish bantams and two silkies. We got new, easy to close, latches so I can close them without nagging my husband to do it. I am very good at rituals, so my new girls should be fine. Even so, I now understand that I should not get too attatched to the birds. That will be hard, but I'm going to try. Thank you all again!
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