Sunday, July 17, 2011

Devastation - a fox took our flock

Who is Mrs Bok without her Bok Flock?


Not a question I ever thought I'd need to ask myself.


 

As we were leaving Malaysia, my sister rang to tell me that my flock was missing. She had been collecting eggs daily but yesterday she didn’t find the girls to lock them into the coop, she didn’t find them anywhere at all although it was raining heavily. She thought they’d been stolen and reported their disappearance to the police. To the police!! She thought they'd been stolen. She went out in brighter drier daylight next day to find feathers everywhere...which can only mean one thing…a fox had come during the day and carted off my girls one by one, not a single one left nor any bodies either.

 

Now coming home, I've gone into the garden to see the devastation for myself...I've cried my heart out, I can't believe I don't have the flock racing around after me when I step into the storm ravaged garden.   I was so looking forward to seeing them, to having them greet me, to making their hot porridge and to putting their hot water bottle in with them at night as I locked them into their coop.  I see signs of my cherished hens everywhere - where they've eaten all the rainbow chard especially the yellow and pink but have left the green, where they've dug up all of my carefully planted strawberries and where they've eaten all the salads. But I'd have them eat the entire garden if only they'd return.



 
See where they'd eaten all the tender greens and the yellow chard but left the darker chard? Oh hens I'll never scold you again if only you'd come back :(

We have a 6 ft tall smooth bamboo fence that a hox couldn't scrabble over.  But it's clear Fox Loxy got in by jumping the shorter fence between the neighbour and ourselves and running into the long vegie bed along the driveway.

There are no bodies to be found and my sister didn't find any bodies or blood either - but there are lots of feathers in the garden.

I posted about foxes before over here.


And I still admire foxes - they are wily, cunning, but also creatures that are suffering a bitter winter and need to eat.    Perhaps fat fieldmice and rabbits are scarce in the cold.  I choose to believe that it was a Mrs Fox who came and quickly murdered my hens so they felt no pain and took them home to her little foxlets. I choose not to think that it was a greedy Mr Fox who just took as much as he could.  Oh foxy loxy you are wicked indeed.  I hope you gave my girls a painless and quick exit to chooky heaven.


Lots of broccollini went to flower but lots left to eat

Florence fennel got plump indeed


 
A lone fly in freezing melbourne! How did you survive the frost??

 
Camelias flowered whilst we were away


Who am I without my bok flock? Call I still call myself Mrs Bok?  After all I have no flock to be guardian for any longer  :(  Can you believe I've dyed my hair the darkest shade of black in mourning.  I really love my flock.  I hope they are happy up in chooky heaven.    









Laying eggs in odd places

 Picnics on the lawn



Vale my beautiful Bok Flock we really miss you so much

53 comments:

  1. Oh you poor thing. What a dreadful homecoming. Hugs.

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  2. Oh Mrs Bok, I am so sorry for you - I can well imagine how devastated you must be. What a sad end to your wonderful trip.

    If only you lived in Sydney you could have a couple of mine to get you going.

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  3. What a terrible shocking homehoming for your family after your wonderful holiday. I don't know what to say except I feel sad with you.

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  4. I am so sorry for you, I can't imagine how sad I would feel it that happened to me. I'm glad you have so many photos of your precious flock. Again, I'm so sorry...

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  5. Thanks everyone :(
    Rebecca, your birdhouses are so beautiful...

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  6. So so sorry to hear this very sad news- I shed a tear for you. Hopefully when the warmer months come you may feel up to raising a new flock.

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  7. Oh, no. How awful... thinking of you in this terrible time.

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  8. Sorry to hear about the demise of the Bok flock. Big hugs all the way from Tasmania.

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  9. Condolences,

    There really is nothing quite as devastating as fox attack. My thoughts are with you and your family in this sad time.

    Kind Regards
    Belinda

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  10. Oh dear, what a shame! I'm so sorry. Your flock had a very happy life and were dearly cherished. I'm sure they wouldn't want you to mourn them, but rather to think what wonderful experiences you had while caring for them. And I'm sure they'd be hoping that you would start a new Bok flock after fox-proofing the section (if that is even possible - fortunately we don't have them in NZ, only weasels and suchlike which can also wreak devastation.) But like you I think foxes are very handsome. It's a pity they can't be vegan, but then they would lose the essence of what they are.
    cathie

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  11. Thank you for all of your kind words, you are all so sweet and give me much comfort xo

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  12. Oh you poor thing - I just a had a little teary over your gorgeous chooks.

    fernenland is right - they had a very happy and lovely life whilst you were looking after them - and its important to remember that.

    big hugs to you and the kids

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  13. Oh I am so so sorry, what a terrible welcome home you received after a lovely holiday. My little silkie, Edna was taken last week by a rotten dog, and I felt awful, I can't imagine how terrible you must feel with the whole flock gone.

    Like others have said, what a lovely life they enjoyed. Not every chicken is so lucky and loved.

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  14. Wiping away tears for you and your flock. So so sorry.

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  15. Oh dear, how terrible! I'm so sorry for your poor chookies and for you too. They were the best looked after chookies and had wonderful lives. I hope it was all very quick and that they weren't too scared. So sad :(
    X

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  16. How sad it must have been to come home from holidays, and found all your girls gone. Take care.

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  17. So sorry for your loss. Mo

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  18. Oh no, not you too!! I'm sooo sorry to hear this Mrs B! Our deepest condolences.. :(

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  19. Oh what a horrible thing to come home to. I really don't know what to say. You must be heart broken.

    I agree with the others in saying that your flok was truly loved and very well taken care of.

    Hugs to you and your family

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  20. So Sorry to hear about what happened to your flock. Hugs.

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  21. Mrs, Bok, I am so very sorry to hear this. My heart breaks for your loss, and sad news upon your return from holiday. Please pass on my condolences also to your family, I can only imagine how devastated you would all feel.

    All the tears in the world change nothing but it is important to mourn your girls! I too wish it was a hungry mummy fox and the girls did not suffer. You will always be Mrs Bok of the Bok flock! no matter what horrid foxes do. RIP to your flock

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  22. Gutted for you!

    Hope they are in chook heaven right now enjoying plenty of well deserved heaven corn.

    Really, sorry to hear all this!

    Martin

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  23. My heart is breaking for you. What a sad end to a wonderful trip away.

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  24. I am so sorry to read this and so sorry for you and your flock :( What a horrible welcome home and such a sad scene of destruction to see. I echo the wishes for happy chickens in chook heaven x

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  25. This must be so very hard for you and I think it is very good of you not to be blaming your sister for what has happened. Perhaps you could collect up some of the feathers and make something to remember them by. So very sorry for your whole family and your empty backyard. Once a Mrs Bok always a Mrs Bok.

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  26. your trip was so wonderful - i loved traveling along with you - and now i am so very sorry for such a sad homecoming and such loss. i wish i could sit with you today, and remind you that indeed you are Mrs Bok...always. you made your flock happy...i think we are your flock too, Mrs Bok...and i am grateful. xok.

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  27. Oh no, Mrs Bok! I'm sure not the ending you wanted for your amazing trip. Rest in peace bok flock. My thoughts are with you... gxo

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  28. So sorry to hear - you poor thing. I'm sure that your flock are happily pecking their way around chookie heaven getting heavenly porridge laced with corn made for them.

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  29. I'm so very sorry. I'm a new reader and as a fellow chicken keeper I was looking forward to reading your chicken stories. What a dreadful loss.

    I'm shocked to see you think they were taken during the day though. I had been led to believe foxes only attacked at night. There have been so many taken here (Canberra) after dark but now I worry about the day time....

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  30. I'm so sorry to hear of your devastating loss. These little creatures do get tangled around our hearts, don't they?

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  31. Oh NO Mrs B!!! I'm so sorry! I hope you are ok!
    Thinking of you...

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  32. so sorry to hear of your loss. XX Sonya

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  33. Oh dear! I'm so, so sorry to hear that. I know how much they meant to you, that much was obvious by the way you wrote about them. I think they are clucking up in heaven :)

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  34. You are all so gorgeous, you make my heart full with your kindness, thank you so much xo

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  35. O so said...i feel for you.
    Hugs from mee!

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  36. I am so sorry to hear that you have lost your flock! That is such tragic news! I can't imagine how you felt when you came home to find them gone. Your photo memorial of them is very nice. My best wishes...

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  37. What a return home after an amazing trip! We constantly battle foxes on the farm - they are more than happy to hang around during the day. Our magpies let me know that they are around and I have even witnessed them swooping and protecting the chooks!

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  38. Oh no that's one of the saddest things I've read for a long time.
    I understand your pain and sadness. It has happened to me before, a few times actually.Once we were on holidays also and the morning of the day we were to return the fox got in. So devastating.

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  39. Oh, Mrs Bok. You had had such a wonderful vacation and to come home and find -- or rather not find--your feathered companions gone must be devastating. Your family enjoyed them and will miss them. I am really sorry.

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  40. Oh No! What a horrible home coming. I can see why you are interested in a new coop. Mine is just a large aviary made from square metal and bird wire with metal back and side and roof. It was here when we came but it is one from that place in Eltham on the Main Road going towards Research.

    You are still our own Mrs Bok.

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  41. I am devasted on your behalf!I can only imagine how upset you are but also the children who would have been looking forward to seeing the chooks again.
    I am so glad you took so many photos of them enjoying 'their' garden

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  42. I am so sorry to read this Mrs Bock! It is a fine line between keeping our lovely chickens free ranging and keeping them safe.

    Vale beautiful flock of Mrs Bok

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  43. I'm so sorry this has happened. We gave up keeping chickens after the Fox and then the Mink broke our hearts.

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  44. Oh Mrs Bok - how horrible for you! Deepest sympathies - we came home two years ago after nine days away and the girls were just fine - then Mrs Fox (I like to believe it was Mrs Fox too) took 3 out of my 4 girls in the middle of the first night we were home! Horrible, horrible homecoming! So, my thoughts are with you.
    I read today of a wonderful scheme in Canberra where live, of a woman who will deliver hatchlings and you can buy them from her or she will take them away. Sounds like such a restorative idea - see if there's a similar scheme where you live.
    I send you hugs and smiles for the next flock of boks
    Greenie x

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  45. Your girls look gorgeous......its very sad that they are no longer with you. You must have plenty of memories and stories to share.
    Look forward to new girls, different personalities & breeds. Its amazing how these little creatures find special places in our hearts & homes.
    J&D Chicks

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  46. RIP Mrs Bok's Flock. Shame to hear...those dam foxes, they'll always find away and always when you least expect it. I'm sure Mrs Bok will be taking care of a new flock again soon.

    On a happy note though Welcome back! Look forward to seeing what new adventures come to us from your backyard!

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  47. Oh, how very sad for Mrs. Bok to lose her flock! You must be heartbroken. Will you try again?

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  48. Oh no, no, no, no! This is such horrible news - you poor, poor dear. To lose your babies like that is the most awful thing ever. I'm sending you a powerful long-distance hug from Oregon.
    (love that you died your hair black...) ♥

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  49. Ooops, I meant "dyed". Wow - Freudian slip. :-(

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  50. Oh Mrs Bok! I saw this last night when I came over to catch up on all that I have been missing. I'm devastated for you all. I was a bit too tired to leave you a message so I thought I'd wait until today. Well, I've read it twice now and twice I have cried. I'm so sad.

    I was on my way home one lunchtime last week and I saw a /you know what in a paddock feasting on a small lamb. I was seething.

    Is it just me or do others think that they are rife right now?

    And I don't just see this from our chooks perspective. How about our native animals? The Eastern Barred Bandicoot is a fine example. Its on the brink of extinction.

    Ok I'll hop down off my high horse!

    I look forward to reading more about your new brood - they are beautiful.

    xx Jo

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