Chicken's gone missing

[MissyMoo]

I'm sure my little americana has gone broody. We haven't found one of her eggs in a couple of weeks and today she disappeared. Our yard is not that big and we've look everywhere! She's certainly found a good hiding place. I'm worried about whether she'll come in at night - we have coons and skunks around regularly. And it's over 100 degrees now. Is there anything we can do to lure her back?

 

[rooster-red]

If she is in broody mode, probably nothing will bring her back until they hatch.

 

[MissyMoo]

And what if the eggs are not fertile and never hatch? How long until she catches on?

 

[jnjross]

when they smell, she has a good nose and will kick them out until she has nothing left , 6-9 days but not always

 

[Wolf-Kim]

She will come running home for food one of these days. When she does follow her back to the nest or catch her in the yard. You will have to force her away from the nest or forcibly move the nest to a safe place.

There is really nothing you can do to "lure" her home. She will get hungry and come running home for a quick snack.

-Kim

 

[jnjross]

but really she might be closer than you're thinking. I found mine today she had sqeezed through the water spout hole in my siding and was under the house. she went awall wed morning and came out to eat this morning and left within a hour i watched her to see where

 

[chilling in muscadine]

Your hen will make a lot of noise when she come's off the nest to eat, also you have to be sneaky trying to watch her go back to the nest. Hen's want there privacy. If you find the nest you could try moving the nest at night but be prepared to incubate if your hen leave's the nest. A couple night's ago around midnight I found one of my free range hen's clucking & making all kind's of racket. I had to coach her into my roosting tree. The next morning I found her nest with busted & empty egg's. Maybe a possum??? I'm just happy she ran & I still have her. Good luck. PEACE

 

[mkeawsh]

I had a hen go missing on Easter and thought a hawk got her like others and then realized a week later that she was out feeding with the rest. I followed her to bales of hay that we have so tightly covered I was amazed how she could have gotten in there or found this place. She had 10 eggs she had been setting on for a week. Look in even the most impossible places...where you don't think she could even fit.

 

[MissyMoo]

She did show up to eat and drink. She was very crafty about not being followed. Who would have known they have it in them! I finally found her nest tucked way back under a shed -tighter fit than I thought possible. She'd been sitting on 14 eggs! We caught her and put her in the shed because we have so many critters at night. Something raided the nest that night. I'm just happy I have my little girl still!

Thanks for the replies!