BTW Japanese Pullet Gone!

[jc12551]

I have four BTW Jap. pullets hatched in May that give me three eggs every day. I have only been getting one or two recently and I found a hidden nest in the run last week with three eggs in it. Yesterday I came home and heard a hen cackling in the woods. It was around 10pm, but we got flashlights and went out. Nothing. I counted the birds and one of the bantams was gone. Sometimes they roost in trees so we looked, but found nothing. I went out today and looked for signs of a struggle/stray feathers but didn't see anything. I also poked around looking for a nest. Any hope that she has gone off into the woods to brood? I don't want to give up hope, but I don't want to count her out yet. We had a dog attack a few months back and we thought this one hen had been eaten. Three days later she came back. How many eggs would a BTWJ lay before going broody anyway?

 

[jenjscott]

They can go broody at any time, after a few or after a lot. I had one go broody once that wasn't even laying. She could be brooding, but chicken noise that late at night does not bode well for the chicky.