Ta Natty Can I just add that I certainly don't have all the answers and am no expert at self soothing! When I saw my hen yesterday I fell to pieces and cried into DHs shoulder intermittantly for a good part of the day! But I was also aware of helping my boys deal with the situation so eventually I go to work on some strategies such as realising that the fox wasn't evil... it could have easily been a mumma fox desperate to feed young cubs or to make milk because she had just given birth to them. Reminding myself that this is just the cycle of life help to soothe my distress. I'm still sad about it... but can deal.