[juliag]

2 nights ago being in a rush to get to the village skittles night, the kids were riding in the field as I raced around putting the chickens away. My 16 yr old daughter was showing off to her boyfriend who had brought his tractor and roller over to roll our fields and thought it was clever to get into my shogun and start driving it up across the field. I was so angry that she hadnt helped me when i had so much to do and she had been 'dollying around' although couldnt do my usual shouting and swearing at her as boyfriend would have thought I was a lunatic. that by mistake I didnt shut one of the henhouses up. 5 of our favourite hens, all rescue hens and all very tame, the ones that you could cuddle and who really seemed to enjoy it...........gone. just feathers left. 1 found huddled in the feed shed traumatised but ok this evening. I am so angry with myself. 

[sandy]

Those momements happen to us all and always will, still hurts and still makes us have regrets but we all learn from mistakes....Dull people never make mistakes!

[doganjo]

Don't beat yourself up, Julia.  We all have days like that - I assume you have foxes around?  Hope the one that escaped recovers.

[Hilarysmum]

Its so easy to do when you are hassled. 

[Wizard]

Tell you what Lass.The person that has not made a mistake HAS NOT MADE ANYTHING.So sorry to hear this.I keep saying the only good one is them preserved and stuffed in the Natural History Museums. Since the hunting ban there are loads of them around Immingham and the oil refinery's David says they are that cheeky they will stand 20 yards away and watch you eat your pack-up then see what you have left when you go.I really don't know what good they are folk that don't know say." Oh they keep the rabbits down".Never heard of anything so daft in me life.He's (or a vixen) is not going to exert it's self chasing a rabbit that he has little chance of catching, when it can take Julia's hens with no effort at all.They are not stupid.Thats why there are so many about.It's time to have a cull and shoot 99% of them.

[Rosemary]

What a shame, Julia 

[Roxy]

So sorry about your hens.  Yes, it has happened to us all.  Some years ago, I was late shutting my hens up, just the one time.  Only tea time but dark, and the fox had already visited and took 8.  I have never been late again ......it still haunts me.  You do say "if only" but it makes no difference, whats done is done.

We have all made mistakes I am sure.

[sheila]

How sad for you. never mind love, try to get over it without beating yourself up.

[little blue]

oh dear, poor hens and poor you Julia.
these things happen sadly

[Jackie]

There isnt one human that hasnt made a mistake, so forgive yourself and move on. 

[Helencus]

We went out Saturday night early so iasked my son to shut ours up. He forgot. Thankfully we have no foxes in evidence but one of the girls is an escape artist and flew over the fence. She went into the field where folk walk their dogs off leads.. Thankfully she is still alive but bitten and lost a lot of feathers. She's not gone far from the coop since.

[sabrina]

We all do things when upset or in a rage and then wonder why. What's done is done, hope your daughter is sorry she upset you in the first place.

[Annie22]

Julia you are so unlucky, I always forget to lock up my chickens till after dark, but luckily none have been taken.  We did have one die on us a Plymouth Rock rooster we think it may have been a fox there was only small marks on his neck.  It was in daylight hours too.