Chickens died...

[matiportnoy]

Yesterday, I got home to find feathers on the ground of my yard. I thought they were from a pigeon, since there are many of those around here and dogs chase them often. I went to my backyard to feed my chickens some greens, and found the roof of the coop on the ground. The worst part was when I looked inside, and there was one of my girls, laying there, motionless. I am devastated. Both my chickens are gone. Some huge dog (there are many of around my neighborhood since my neihbors let them run lose with no control over them) must have torn and thrown off the roof and chased them. Until he got a hold of them. This has been a horrible experience. I feel terrible. They were such good chickens, sweet, docile, funny, well behaved, great layers, and loyal. Every day I would spend some time with them while I let them run free in the yard (always under my supervision).
I am not even sure if I have the heart to start again with new chickens; and I would definitely have to change my coop design.
For now, I am just devastated. I feel so guilty. My girls did not deserve what happened to them. And I dont know what to do from here...

Maybe I just have to wrap my head around the idea that when owning animals, these things happen. But it is hard. It was only yesterday in the afternoon. And I feel that I could have prevented this.

 

[chooks4life]

Sorry for your loss.

Your feelings sound totally normal and reasonable. It's good to remember that hindsight is always 20/20 and you can use it to learn from but shouldn't use it to beat yourself up.

People build 'fort knox's' for their chooks and predators still get them. Or diseases do. Or even stupid, hard to comprehend accidents. Or the other chooks do.

Just part of the risks of keeping any animal. If you're like me, your life is so much richer for having them, and come hell or high water, living without them would be a bit of a half-life and I'd always choose to have them. Though sometimes it can get a bit exhausting when things go wrong and you can't prevent them. Wishing you better experiences in future.

Best wishes.

 

[Puddin Fluff]

x2 what chooks4life said.

Fortify and start again. Unfortunately there will always be the chance of losses but as the saying goes, better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.