Grieving after losing my 8 to a fox

[Jcho131]

I am so sorry for your loss. I can only imagine how devastated you must feel.

I lost one of my favorite hens last year to an oppossum when my daughter accidentally left one coop doors open and I didn't check it before bed like I normally do. I beat myself up for a days over it...I felt incredibly guilty because I could see in retrospect how it could have been prevented. However, I eventually came to see it as a learning experience and I made some changes to the coop and run design so that such an accident couldn't happen again.

I want to encourage you to begin again. I bet your eight hens had a far better life with you than they would have had otherwise and that you will be able to do the same for a new group of girls.

Thank you so much. This is what Im hoping to replace my sadness with, the thought that they had a great life with us even if too short. It sort of feels too soon to start again, and start calling them our "old chickens" but the new chicks are with us now. They are making us move on forward.

 

[Jcho131]

My heart goes out to you and your family. I am terribly sorry for your loss, you never truly realize the impact these tiny raptors have on you until its too late.
Please know you are not at fault. We lost a girl to heat stroke and I beat myself up for weeks. I was so heart broken I didnt feel fit enough to care for my flock, it caused depression deeper than I realized.
As chicken tenders we tend to take on the guilt when mother nature does its thing.
Please, learn from the experience, find peace away from the what ifs, and open your heart and home back up for a new flock.
The world needs more lovers in it.

Totally. I had no idea they were such huge part of our daily lives and that they would leave a gaping hole now that they're gone. The what-if thoughts are endless and the feeling of letting them down so badly is really depressing us all, I so wish we might have been woken by the noise in the night that we could have saved a few... The new chicks were my attempt to show that we're not beaten, and as you say to open our hearts again.

 

[BoundlessLove]

Welcome to BYC!
I’m sorry about your losses.

 

[chrissynemetz]

Welcome to BYC! Many of us understand what you're going through firsthand.

 

[Tookie]

Hello, welcome to BYC! So so sorry for your losses, I completely understand how you feel.

 

[elusvbtrfly]

Hello
I'm new here. We lost our 8 to a fox a few nights ago. I'm struggling with the grief and wanted to share with those who would understand. We had been away for 2 weeks and my mum was visiting everyday to feed/water them. But one day she left the back door of the eglu cube unlocked without realising. The door must have stayed in place for days but on the night we returned the chickens must have pushed it open from the inside and the fox got to them. If only we had checked them after arriving (it was 11pm) they would still be with us. It's even more gutting as we do normally check on them after a holiday even if returning late. When I woke up i checked the camera in bed and couldn't believe my eyes. The cage was empty and i could see light coming from inside the coop. I ran outside and saw feathers scattered everywhere and every single one gone. Everything reminds me of them in the garden. The plum tree they loved the plum stones they left behind underneath it. The spots they used to dust bathe in. The deafening silence when we open the window in the morning. How they used to sprint towards us when they thought we had treats. How they loiter around us when doing gardening. More memories than I realise and such huge void they leave. The fact that it was preventable and the fact that we missed them on our holiday and how much we were looking forward to letting them out first thing really cuts deep. I wanted to share with anyone who has been through similar. My heart is heavy and I'm tired of feeling this way.

My sympathies. Truly. I have been through it with a neighborhood dog. As you said, it's gut-wrenching. I started over, but I must say I still miss those particular birds. They each have their own personality. I'm sorry for your loss.

 

[Robinvila]

Hello
I'm new here. We lost our 8 to a fox a few nights ago. I'm struggling with the grief and wanted to share with those who would understand. We had been away for 2 weeks and my mum was visiting everyday to feed/water them. But one day she left the back door of the eglu cube unlocked without realising. The door must have stayed in place for days but on the night we returned the chickens must have pushed it open from the inside and the fox got to them. If only we had checked them after arriving (it was 11pm) they would still be with us. It's even more gutting as we do normally check on them after a holiday even if returning late. When I woke up i checked the camera in bed and couldn't believe my eyes. The cage was empty and i could see light coming from inside the coop. I ran outside and saw feathers scattered everywhere and every single one gone. Everything reminds me of them in the garden. The plum tree they loved the plum stones they left behind underneath it. The spots they used to dust bathe in. The deafening silence when we open the window in the morning. How they used to sprint towards us when they thought we had treats. How they loiter around us when doing gardening. More memories than I realise and such huge void they leave. The fact that it was preventable and the fact that we missed them on our holiday and how much we were looking forward to letting them out first thing really cuts deep. I wanted to share with anyone who has been through similar. My heart is heavy and I'm tired of feeling this way.

I lost 3 in the last three weeks to what I now believe is a fox. I have been overcome not only with grief but guilt that I didn’t do more to protect them. They have a Fort Knox secured coop but I have always let them free range. I bought an electric fence and have now isolated them far away from the edges of my property where these foxes are likely living. I feel your pain my friend, it’s so hard. Just here to tell you i understand and sending hugs.

 

[Robinvila]

My heart goes out to you and your family. I am terribly sorry for your loss, you never truly realize the impact these tiny raptors have on you until its too late.
Please know you are not at fault. We lost a girl to heat stroke and I beat myself up for weeks. I was so heart broken I didnt feel fit enough to care for my flock, it caused depression deeper than I realized.
As chicken tenders we tend to take on the guilt when mother nature does its thing.
Please, learn from the experience, find peace away from the what ifs, and open your heart and home back up for a new flock.
The world needs more lovers in it.

love and needed this so much today thank you.

 

[Jcho131]

I lost 3 in the last three weeks to what I now believe is a fox. I have been overcome not only with grief but guilt that I didn’t do more to protect them. They have a Fort Knox secured coop but I have always let them free range. I bought an electric fence and have now isolated them far away from the edges of my property where these foxes are likely living. I feel your pain my friend, it’s so hard and nothing anyone can say will help. Just here to tell you i understand and sending hugs.

Thank you I'm sorry to hear you lost your chickens too. It really is hard and the guilt part especially cuts deep, knowing how vulnerable they are. I still have a couple of my old chickens' eggs, it's been almost a month and I can't bring myself to do anything with them. I've also just installed an electric fence. I'm going to test this out by leaving out some leftover meat in the fenced off area at night with a camera there. I'll test it over a week to see if the food gets touched. These foxes are just too cunning. I hope your new setup works well and the rest of your chickens keep safe.

 

[Bsmac]

Sorry you lost some birds... That is always tough...