5 out of 6 chickens missing and I'm out of town

[Chicabeaka]

Monday night the gal checking in on my chickens looked in the coop and only 1 of my six chickens was in the coop. They free range during the day and have been good at returning to the coop at night.

The chickens were there at 3 and gone by 8.

She has been out several times and called for them but they just seem to have disappeared. I am not going to be home for a few more days and don't know what to tell her to do.
I am absolutely heartsick and feel helpless.

There is no sign of an attack and I don't understand why there is one chicken left.

We have a coop and run and 20 acres white lots of cedar trees. I was hoping that they were scared off and roosting in the trees. But it is extremely hot and after a full day without water I feel like they couldn't survive.
Has anyone ever had chickens return? How long can they last on their own? We are pretty secluded and don't really have dogs running around. What else could have happened to them during the day?

I am so confused and sad and helpless. My family offered to return early from our vacation but it will take us a couple of days to get back and I don't think that there is anything I can do that our chicken sitter hasn't already tried

If anyone has any ideas what I could tell her, is really appreciate it.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

I have had hens make their way in the world alone, and I do mean on their own and alone for as long as two years. But not all chickens are equally able to do this. Hopefully your chickens are survivors and they just got scattered and they'll come home like Little Bo Peep's sheep.

 

[Chicabeaka]

Thanks chickengeorge. I sure hope that's the case. I keep wanting to be optimistic but the heat and lack of water make me feel like it will be tough for them. I just wish I knew what happened. So weird to have one still around when they have been inseparable their whole lives

 

[Chicabeaka]

Has anyone had any luck finding missing chickens? If so. What did you do?