[Kathie]

Yesterday evening around 5pm OH found one of our 8 month old poullets, Sandy, in an absolutly horrendous state, she was so badly hurt we had to put her out of her misery.

We are gutted and feel as though we let her down as OH had gone out and I was taking a shower, he found her when he came home.  We are presuming it was a fox attack.  She was one out of 8, and just as he completed the deed 3 of them came running back in from the paddock next door, where we are sure Sandy had also been.

Today we stayed with them while they had breakfast after which they all took themselves into the 2 shelters we have at the side of the house, and they haven't come out since.
Will the 3 who were out remember if they saw the attack, and will they all know one of them is missing?

Sorry to have written so much

[Jeanette]

When some of my girls were taken by a fox the ones that were left were very spooked for a few days after that they were ok. I am not sure if they missed the others or not.
I am so sorry that you have lost one of your girls it is horrible when that happens. Foxes are very cunning and it happens so fast. At the moment the are hungry so will do anything to get some food. You did the right thing in not letting her suffer. I am sending
((((hugs)))).

[westview]

Hi Kathie, I'm so sorry to hear your news - how awful for you...
My auntie has kept chickens for years (since I can remember!) and she recently lost dear old Blackie (she was 10 years old) to a stoat which had managed to get into the chicken coop!  Becky her other chicken witnessesed it and as a result has moved in with the Bantams..... it's bit of a squeeze in their small coop but she'll not step foot in the original coop and that was 3 months ago!

[cluckingnuts]

They may be wary from now on, and that may not be a bad thing. Had the hen been killed there would be a very good chance the others would have ate her.