Yesterday afternoon my chickens were free ranging as they do almost every day that we are home. I let them out around 3:00 and they go back in on their own around 8-8:30. My husband and I went for a bike ride and stopped to talk to a neighbor. It was around 8:45 when we got back home and I told hubby I was headed over to collect eggs and shut the coop. When I looked inside, only 2 hens (out of 10 hens and 2 roos) were on the roost! I yelled to hubby and we started looking for them. Found them roosting all over the yard! My 3 youngest were in the top of the big trash can! Got them all gathered up, which was quite a chore! Got everybody in and realized Lucy was missing. I went looking everywhere for her but it was dark by this point and I couldn't find her anywhere. We thought maybe something had gotten her but this morning there she was wandering around in the yard. I lured her back to the coop and put her inside the run with the others. Do you think something spooked them? I just have no idea other than that why they wouldn't have gone back inside the coop like they always do. Not sure if I should let them out today! One thing, I have a light in the coop but it's out and I need to replace the bulb. Do you think they didn't want to go in there since it was dark?
