Or rather last few hours anyway. Nipped down the plot earlier to check on the girls and feed them and found the shed they nest in had been torched and the one next to it had gone up as well. My little bantam has been killed, but the rest of the girls seem ok. Eggs all over the run cos nest boxes gone. Police and fire brigade treating it as suspicious.
Completely knocked for six, supreme irony is that the sheds were going to come down anyway to make room for a better house and enlarge the run.
Apparently started within 15 mins of me leaving them last night after I had gone down for evening chat and feed. Had put bantam in a little seperate run because she had gone broody, and if she sat tight was going to get her a couple of fertile eggs tomorrow, if she wasn't in that she might have got out.

Feel like s**t, got a long day tomorrow pulling down burnt stuff and trying to make good what we can.

Kirstyb
I know that nothing we can say will bring back what you've lost but really do feel for you, espesh as you had just moved your little broody bantie. Hopefully the police will be able to identify the culprits and deal with them - or just lock them in a room with all the lottie society members.

So sorry, Kirsty. Sewer Rat, your police force must be sharper than ours. If the culprits are under eighteen (and they generally are) they usually get away with whatever they decide to do. It is so hard to press charges and make them stick, and kids seem to have all the rights and none of the responsibilities.

These kids are a product of the society they are dragged up through. Kirsty, soooooo sorry. But I beleive what comes around, goes around. They will get theirs sometime. As for your efforts, be strong and we will all help as much as we can.

Really sorry to hear your news.

Goodness. Don't know quite what to say. Have a stiff drink and a good cry, then think thank goodness you only lost one. Small consolation but a fox would have killed the lot.

I don't understand why there isn't more damage. I've got a big, glass greenhouse and loads of young plants and none of them have been touched. Fire brigade arrived at 8 last night and estimated that it had been going for an hour according to copper I saw today. They feel it was started by naked flame, but I don't have any thing in there like lamps and stuff and Steve doesn't go in there with his fags because of fire risk what with straw and wood in there.
We have 3 options
deliberate vandalism,
accidental - kids having a nose and/or a cheeky smoke and drop a butt
lightening strike

Don't know what to think. Just want to take care of the hens left and make thngs nice for them again.
Thanks guys for the kind words and support. Your'e right Shirley, fox would've been much worse

Originally Posted by kirsty b

I don't understand why there isn't more damage. I've got a big, glass greenhouse and loads of young plants and none of them have been touched. Fire brigade arrived at 8 last night and estimated that it had been going for an hour according to copper I saw today. They feel it was started by naked flame, but I don't have any thing in there like lamps and stuff and Steve doesn't go in there with his fags because of fire risk what with straw and wood in there.
We have 3 options
deliberate vandalism,
accidental - kids having a nose and/or a cheeky smoke and drop a butt
lightening strike

Don't know what to think. Just want to take care of the hens left and make thngs nice for them again.

You do just that. Hard to believe just now, but the hens will be fine and you will kinda get over it. There is nothing I can say that will make it better I am afraid, but it will get easier (cliche I know but it will). Look at the positive side, you didn't lose everything. If you have some rescue remedy, give some to the hens and take some yourself.

With all the rain we've had recently I wouldn't have thought it was either accidental or a dropped cigarette butt. Things are just too wet. And as it wasn't just your site affected, I would think it was deliberate mindless vandalism.

That is such a horrible thing to happen. Would almost be better to bear if it turned out to be lightning strike, at least there's no malice involved. Hope you manage to clear everything up ok, and build the bestest hen-home ever as a replacement.

Kirsty b, why does life keep throwing these miseries at us. I hope you're strong enough to take it on the chin and come out a stronger person. What's done is done.

Sorry to hear of this sad news, I'm lost for words at the sheer mindlessness of it! Hope you and remaining chucks are ok and that they get a nicer home soon!

What a shame KirstyB. If it was vandalism there's no words to express the disgust at that. If it was natural causes, then what bad luck. I do hope you can sort it all out and get your chooks organised. You must be miserable. Hope you feel better soon.

Kirstyb I don't know what to say as nothing can really express. This is such a dreadful thing to happen.

I hope you can sort things out and that you and your girls will recover.

Sorry to hear that kirsty b . Dont let them beat - you get it repaired as quickly as you can and show them that it wont stop you.