Broody or Dinner?

[Jessdesk]

So, we have noticed the laying has really dropped off... and I understand that happens as the days grow shorter and have less sunlight. But today we have had a hen go missing.

Earlier in the week one morning I noticed our hen Speckles was outside of the coop in the dark hours... and I was asking her how she didn’t get back in time to get into the coop, and it had been 32 degrees that night. She seemed fine though.

Anyway, we noticed she is missing and I am wondering if there is hope that she has been hiding a clutch of eggs? I know it’s not the right time of year, but we are having a very warm autumn/winter. Most days have been in the 70s or 80s. We have 20 acres of thick desert scrub, so tons of places to hide...

...or is it more likely she has become something's dinner?

 

[ChickNanny13]

Hoping it's a hidden nest

 

[venymae]

I hope it's a nest, but I'm thinking she was delicious.

 

[JeanR]

If it IS a hidden next, she will come off to eat, maybe to her regular feeder-- usually at least once a day. They can be very sneaky, as they want that nest hidden from the other hens. If you are lucky, you will see her, coming or going back to her nest. Couldn't locate my missing hen, and one day took a picture of the birds outside--and when I gave the picture a good look, there she was, in the back of the picture, sneaking out of the yard.....next day I was watching for her, and from a distance watched where she headed--and then did the search and found her. Fixed a nest box, and at dusk, moved her and her eggs into a pen in the chicken house! Would doubtless have lost her to skunk (who love partly incubated eggs) before they hatched. Hope this is your hen's disappearance--and that you find her safely!

 

[Jessdesk]

Thanks Jean, I will try to watch

 

[sourland]

She may very well be broody. Do you have a rooster ?

 

[Jessdesk]

We have 4 roosters, lol

 

[Jessdesk]

Omg! I looked outside a few minutes ago and Speckles was there!!!


She ate, drank, and took a dust bath, and then we followed her as she very quickly and quietly went back to her nest.

The funny thing is that I had been only 4 feet from her yesterday when I was looking and never saw her. Sneaky chickie!


Now what should I do?

 

[aart]

Now what should I do?

If you want her to hatch out the eggs, you'll probably need to move her. This might break her broodiness, tricky business.


You'll need to decide if you want her to hatch out some chicks, and how you will 'manage' it.
Do you have, or can you get, some fertile eggs?
Do you have the space needed? She may need to be separated by wire from the rest of the flock.
Do you have a plan on what to do with the inevitable males? Rehome, butcher, keep in separate 'bachelor pad'?
If you decide to let her hatch out some fertile eggs, this is a great thread for reference and to ask questions.
It a long one but just start reading the first few pages, then browse thru some more at random.
http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/496101/broody-hen-thread

If you don't want her to hatch out chicks, best to break her broodiness promptly.
My experience went like this: After her setting for 3 days and nights in the nest, I put her in a wire dog crate with smaller wire on the bottom but no bedding, set up on a couple of 4x4's right in the coop and I would feed her some crumble a couple times a day.

I let her out a couple times a day(you don't have to) and she would go out into the run, drop a huge turd, race around running, take a vigorous dust bath then head back to the nest... at which point I put her back in the crate. Each time her outings would lengthen a bit, eating, drinking and scratching more and on the 3rd afternoon she stayed out of the nest and went to roost that evening...event over, back to normal tho she didn't lay for another week or two.

Water nipple bottle added after pic was taken.

 

[JeanR]

Chickens are not stupid (well, most are not) and they know how to do many things for their own well being. We often do not notice. Our experiences with them are our best teachers--and this "sneaky setting nest" is one that I will always remember and glad to pass along. Now you know that all disappearances are not predators and that some have happy endings! So happy for you and Speckles!