Lost my Katie, a RiR tonight. Trying to figure out what happened?

[mothertochicks]

Around 7 PM today I realized that my beautiful RIR girl is missing. I just fed them around 6 PM, and she was still around. Usually around this time my flock would go to the area near their coop. We have two houses on this lot, a front and a back house. I live in the back house, but their coop is behind the front house. I was in my kitchen, but I also went to the coop a few times. The coop is about 50 feet from my kitchen and can be easily seen from where I was. I didn't notice any loud noise or anything unusual. When I checked on them, I saw they were around the coop area eating grass. When some of them started getting on the roost, I noticed my Katie is missing. I am trying to figure out what happened because they seem fine and calm. My property is fenced except the gate is missing for the driveway. They usually love to go to the front yard of the front house where there is a lawn with grass. I think Katie might go to the front yard to eat some grass and might even go the sidewalk area with a little grass. At first I thought she might wandered off and went to the street and got lost. But most of the time they have only stayed within my property line where the fence is. I have seen Katie went to eat the grass in the side walk just 3 feet from the fence, but I don't think she would wander off by herself because she is scared and knows it is not safe there. I walked the streets around my house looking for her calling out her name. Then I think she would not wander and get lost because it was around the time for them to go to bed. I think she might be picked up by someone walking by and saw her standing near the fence or in the sidewalk in front of my house. It was still light so I don't think there were many predators. If it was a hawk, I don't think my other chickens would be so calm. Then I thought what if a dog came by, but then there would be noise. The main thing that seems odd is that my other chickens and roosters are so calm. They don't make any noise when they go to roost. They don't look for her or do they know she is missing. I have eight hens 8 months old and two roosters at same age. I am just so sad because I know how awfully scared she must be, and I pray that she is fine somewhere. Thank you for any advice.

 

[rlbrand]

How big is your coop? is it possible she is up in the rafters and you didn't see her? Mine did this to me.. looked all over the yard... then found her roosted way up above my head... Also do you have many trees on your property? She could of also roosted 10 ft up a tree and you just didnt notice?

I have found that quite common when someone is missing a chicken at head count bedtime.. the chicken is just roosted somewhere no one sees it.

Let us know if you find her in the morning.

goodluck!

 

[drumstick diva]

If she was away from the others - when she was taken by 2 or 4 footed predator, they couldn't have seen what happened. If she was sociable and a human snatched her, she wouldn't have made a sound. I hope she will turn up by morning.

 

[mothertochicks]

I Found Her. She was under a plastic planter, trapped under it. This morning I was going to walk around the neighborhood again looking for her, and I don't care if I would look like a crazy woman making chicken noise and calling out her name. Anyway, I was finishing up my chores before I would go. I heard a little noise and was thinking maybe one of my other hen were near the grapefruit tree, but I heard it coming from a plastic planter that was turned up side down. I opened it up, and I saw Katie. I couldn't believe it, I was so happy. I think I am more happy then if I win the lottery! The planter was just 10 feet from my kitchen door! Lost night I thought of all kinds of scenario, and I was beating myself up for not getting the gate placed in the driveway. This is a good wake up call. I know I have to do a better job to keep them safe and not to live in regret. I have lost some young chicks at the age of 3-4 weeks to predators, one to a hawk, and two batam to a squirrel. The pain was just awful. I am so glad that no predator came by last night. She was under the plastic planter since 7 last night til around 10 this morning. We have had racoons, possums and lately I saw skunks standing in front ot the coop. And I live in the city, San Gabriel, just south of Pasadena in greater Los Angeles area.

Thank you for your responses and well wishes. At BYC I feel I can have the support and connection with other people who understand what our chickens mean to us. Thank you.