This post is too sad. This morning I woke up to an empty coop and a lot of feathers. Not a single 'girl' is left. We are very sad and have cried a lot. I feel like I have completed a chicken keepers rite of passage. I have suffered a loss to a predator. We are in shock. Not good. I had to confess to Euan I did not lock up the coop last night. I thought they would be fine, they have been fine before. I did not think foxes could get in our garden since the fences were repaired, but there is a gap and one of the neighbours fences is down that I did not know about. My poor girls and poor Euan. The garden seems awful without our bundles of fun. Euan has not been backward in coming forward and telling me exactly what he thinks of me and my chicken keeping skills. He was very angry and upset with me, but he has cooled off now. This Winter the weather and the chickens have trashed the garden, I mean mud bath. A house move is not out of the question and I had been vaguely thinking there would/could come a time when rehousing the chickens would be necessary. I have never 'given up' a pet, I am always a 'hang on to them at all cost' kind of person. I love 'rescue' pets not abandoning pets. I have been spared any more worry about chickens. Of course we want more, Euan has already picked names for three white ones...but I know it is no longer practical for us at the moment. Another 'Era' is over. What a happy little episode it was too. Those girls were really loved and made us very happy.
XXX
I am so sorry this happened, what a horrible shock. I lost my 2 beautiful Aylesbury ducks to a fox, so I know the disbelief you feel when you walk outside and realise they are gone.
ReplyDeleteYou've been having quite a tough time lately. Big Hugs xx
Oh dear - I am sorry and know exactly how you feel, My son lost his four 'girls' to a fox last year and we were all devastated. I hope you can feel able to have more 'girls' at sometime in the future. xx
ReplyDeleteOh so sad! This happened to me with our bunnies. They had a wonderful outdoor home they were always safe in and then one day...they were not. We cried too for a while. And I am sure I would cry over chickens too. I have always wanted to keep chickens. I guess this is a sad possibility any time you keep animals. But it is hard on the heart!
ReplyDelete((hugs))
Terri
I'm so sorry. Poor Evan. We get attached to all of our animals don't we. I hope things will soften for you soon.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Betsy
Oh dear. My brother lost his little flock of 4 girls a couple of days ago as well, second time in about 6 months. I think it must come with the territory really - if you keep chickens you have to expect visits from foxes. They're undecided about restocking yet again.
ReplyDeleteWhat a horrible time you are having. I'm so sorry to hear about the girls, they were a joy to read about and I'm glad they bought you so much pleasure.
ReplyDeleteOh Lucy, so sorry ... don't be too hard on yourself though, it's easy to forget to lock the coop once or twice, you were just very unlucky. I'm glad this sad experience hasn't put you off as it is so lovely keeping chickens. I'm sure Evan will come round soon. Thinking of you
ReplyDeleteClaire xxx
Sorry Lucy, very sad :(
ReplyDeleteOh, I'm so sorry, Lucy. You know we went through this same thing. Dayle suffered greatly as I heard the coyotes and asked him to check on them, and he didn't lock them in. This coop we have now is totally predator proof. Next time you get chickens, you will make a safe place for them, I know. You poor thing, you've sure had a run of bad luck. But hang in there, it will get better. spring is coming and things will brighten up. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)
ReplyDeleteSending you lots of (( hugs ))
ReplyDeleteI know how you feel I had similar experience with guinea pigs as a child. Don't forget it is not your fault - it's nature red in tooth and claw (as Tennyson said) that's what animals have always done and will always do. Take care x
ReplyDeleteOh you ... sending you lots of hugs, and to the boys too!!! xxx
ReplyDeleteOh what a pity! Foxes can be so savage. We have a scrawny suburban fox around here that just looks starved and mean.
ReplyDeleteOh Lucy I'm so sorry about the girls, just another sad event that you could do without at the moment. I think you can console yourself with the knowledge that your girls had the happiest of lives with you and your lovely boys. x
ReplyDeleteWhat an awful thing to happen. It must have been such a shock to you all. Hopefully one day you will be able to keep some "girls" again. Take care,
ReplyDeleteWendy x
Ohh Lucy I'm so sorry, you seem to be having rotten luck recently but I'm sure things will start to get better, an Euan will realise you didn't mean for it to happen :-(
ReplyDeletemuch love x
Oh dear me,, so sorry I really feel for you, Try not to blame yourself , Euan will understand that it,s life and these are sent to test you, take care
ReplyDeleteSoooo sorry about your girls!!! Your cuppa is going to be a very lonely affair now!!!
ReplyDeleteLately I have been rescuing donkeys!!! 4 in total now, read all about it in my blog amariefieldcraft.blogspot.com
Keep your chin up and one day at a time!!!
Love
AMarie
Read your blog all the time but have never commented. Just wanted you to know how sorry I am to hear about your loss. No matter what happens when a much loved pet dies the heart hurts just the same. Time will help heal and hopefully you all will be able to start again with another group of "girls".
ReplyDeleteLucy, I'm so very sorry to read this. I know you cared so much for your 'girls' with their different personalities.
ReplyDeleteLots of love,
Sue xxx
Lucy this is so sad! I am sorry for all of you.
ReplyDeleteloads of hugs and love
xox
Exactly the same appended to our lovely cookies. Everyone was in distraction mode apart from Brer Fox. Lucy I am so sorry you are having such a rough time just now. Love linda
ReplyDeleteYesterday my five year old granddaughter showed me a picture from the book about birds she was reading. The hawk had its claw on a limp little squirrel. Gramma found it difficult to explain how one life feeds on another...natural, but sobering and difficult, but especially so for you in the loss of your beloved flock. You and yours are often in my thoughts with love, Lucy, especially in this time when you are going through so much sorting out in your lives. xx, Gracie
ReplyDeleteOh honey....I am so sorry to hear about your loss. You and Euan are in my thoughts, but in the meantime have a ((hug)) x x
ReplyDeleteoh, lucy, my heart is aching for you as i am familiar too, with the terrible hurt endured, following the loss of one of our beloved pets. i think that those folks who do not choose to own pets themselves, can never really fathom the depth of the grief we experience when we lose one of them. (or even worse, four) life feels "full of empty" in their absence and in my experience it has only been that slow passage of time that ever helps to alleviate those feelings. i wish i didn't live all the way "across the pond" from you, because i sincerely wish i could give you a hug right now, in person. i truly am sorry to hear about the loss of your girls. much love, amycita xoxo
ReplyDeleteone more thing...perhaps it will be of some small comfort to know, that i teared up when reading your post, just now. i feel like i have come to know you through reading your lovely blog posts, so when you are suffering your grief is shared...all of us who have grown to love have aching hearts today, as well. sigh. i think that speaks volumes about your ability as a writer.
DeleteOh Lucy, I'm so sorry. I just saw this post. My heart aches for you. I'm crying as I type. I know how much you loved your darling girls. I loved them too, even though I never met them, or even you for that matter. But, I feel like I know all of you.
DeleteTake care, big hugs, Rosella (from rav) xxxxxxx
Devastated Lucy that you have lost your girls and in such a way.
ReplyDeleteMuch too sad....I will sincerely miss them. Your charming tales about their daily escapades made it all so real to me.
Sending lots of positive vibes.
keep well
Amanda :-)
Oh what a sad story Lucy. How terrible for you and for Euan, you both loved those lovely girls and we loved sharing your tales.
ReplyDeleteSending hugs and love.
Carol xx
Oh no, Lucy soo sorry to hear this, as you know I have hens and they are a big part of my family.. heartbreaking news...
ReplyDeleteI am glad though, that they met you and your family as I know that they knew how loved they were by you all.
Hugs
Tracy SC
Somerset
(though it will probably call me anonymous again! LOL)
Having another go at commenting, would not let me before but emailed you instead.
ReplyDeleteSo sorry Lucy and accept my hugs to you all. I only had 2 hens and one went within
the year and the other flew the coop literally a year later, over to neighbors and
never to be seen again.....
xoxo
I am so so sorry to read this, there always seems to be predators-sigh I feel your sadness hugs Kathy (visiting from crafty in the med)
ReplyDeleteOh Lucy, my heart aches for you and the boys. What rotten luck! You have been in my thoughts and I am especially praying for you to know some comfort and peace. Susan
ReplyDelete