Spring 2017 first timers post!

So I've had my chickens now a little over a year. I have 6 chickens and get between 4-6 eggs a day. Unfortunately, we can't eat their eggs right now-they are being treated for tapeworms (never realized chickens got tapeworms). 1 girl is broody and we are currently trying to break her of that-she is stubborn. Also, it seems my chickens are almost always in a soft molt-the vet didn't seem concerned at all. Has anyone else had chickens that seemed to be in a constant molt?
 
Reality hit us yesterday. Our girls are 14 months old and all has gone great. We usually let them out of their run for an hour or two of loose supervision and have had zero problems. Yesterday with a house guest and a neighbor the girls were left alone for 10-15 minutes. As we gathered them up to head back to the run we discovered that one was missing! Head count found that it was Hedwig, our easter egger and a favorite. 3 of us looked for 45 minutes and nothing. Later in the afternoon I searched and found 2 very small areas where there appears to be "butt" feathers the right color. Can only assume that something got her and left virtually no evidence. We suspect an aerial attack, maybe an eagle. Very, very heavy hearts. Nobody is immune from misery it appears.
 
Don't give up! Sometimes when a predator grabs them, a mouthful of feathers is all it gets for its trouble, and the chicken escapes. They'll hide in panic, could be a week, until they feel secure enough to return home.
 
So sorry about Hedwig. Hope Blooie is right and she turns up in a week.

Reality hit us yesterday. Our girls are 14 months old and all has gone great. We usually let them out of their run for an hour or two of loose supervision and have had zero problems. Yesterday with a house guest and a neighbor the girls were left alone for 10-15 minutes. As we gathered them up to head back to the run we discovered that one was missing! Head count found that it was Hedwig, our easter egger and a favorite. 3 of us looked for 45 minutes and nothing. Later in the afternoon I searched and found 2 very small areas where there appears to be "butt" feathers the right color. Can only assume that something got her and left virtually no evidence. We suspect an aerial attack, maybe an eagle. Very, very heavy hearts. Nobody is immune from misery it appears.
 
Don't give up! Sometimes when a predator grabs them, a mouthful of feathers is all it gets for its trouble, and the chicken escapes. They'll hide in panic, could be a week, until they feel secure enough to return home.


Yes, they are good little hiders! We thought we lost one several months ago, and then we found her hiding between our bbq pit and the house, she was under the tarp and really squeezed in between it and the wall. No idea what spooked her and sent her back there.
 

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