4 Chickens Died - Having Trouble Forgiving Myself

[jamesasb]

my thoughts are with you, i know its hard to accept but we all make mistakes, try not to be too hard on yourself

 

[Julie English]

Thank you everyone for your responses. It certainly put things into perspective and I feel a bit better about it now. Thanks.

 

[Shezadandy]

Thank you everyone for your responses. It certainly put things into perspective and I feel a bit better about it now. Thanks.

Taking action to fix the problem is the best way through something like this.

Two things I can suggest:

As you mentioned, get an automatic door. I like mine very much - it can operate on batteries or of course be plugged in. There are all kinds of threads about automatic doors to help sort through which one might be best. Some savvy folks even build their own.

The second thing: poultry exhaust fans. They do two things - when put across from a good sized window or a door like a security screen door (the kind people put on their front doors for fresh air) - it moves air through the coop very effectively. If the fan is put on a wall that faces into the chicken run, the fan will provide good air movement out in the run too.

https://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?pgguid=D74B298D-3C6F-4287-9F9F-4EA09B8D0A73

 

[KellysCreatures]

I am so deeply sorry for your loss. While you may blame it on your actions, we are all human and we make mistakes. You are allowed to make mistakes. It is how we learn. Unfortunately, in the practice of animal husbandry, when we make mistakes animals die. The longer we have animals, the more chances of mistakes, and the more death we will see.

Mistakes are how we learn. They are how we educate ourselves and others.

You can't see it right now, but your mistake now will save many animals in the future. Not only yours, but those with which you have shared your story.

It won't make your hens return to you, but I hope it comes as some small consolation.

You are not alone. You are not terrible. You are simply human - and there's not a darn thing you can do about that.

Thank you LizzyJo and Julie English for sharing this -- I am so sorry for your loss Julie. Today while I was feeding my goats my precious Tamago escaped the new coop at our new house and between then and now it got dark and she is nowhere to be found. I should have been at the coop at dusk and usually am, but I took too long going to the feed store and feeding everyone else, thinking they were all already in the coop like they always are. Also I thought I heard her at the coop door, but convinced myself it was just everyone saying goodnight as they always do. And I thought the coop was completely secure and no way for her to get out, even that little escape artist. I will be devastated if she doesn't survive the night and already wish I could smack myself across the face for letting this happen. I feel horrible. I hope you have recovered somewhat from your heartbreak over your four babies and I do so understand.