My Rooster is missing!

[JorasoliFarm]

We just went out to lock up all the chickens in the coop & noticed our rooster, Guardian, is missing! I'm so devastated! We have not lost a single chicken since we have had him. Our chickens free range during the day, staying close to the open areas of our yard. We have 2 large dogs, one is tied because I think she would hurt them, the other, leaves them alone in fact works with our rooster when either of them notice danger & herd the chickens into the bushes. We saw the whole flock milling about while we were swimming after 6, then I saw them again near the brooder pen around 7. When we went out a little after 8 to lock em up... He was just gone! Our back fields are very overgrown right now, so I am assuming a fox or coyote came in yet the dogs never made a sound & I would imagine he would put up a fight. Currently just mystified.....


Heartbroken... yet I am hopeful that maybe we can find him tomorrow!

 

[coopmaid]

Hello,
I just red your post. Did you find your rooster? Have you checked yours and neighbors sheds and buildings that he may have wandered and got trapped into. I hope he is found ... And put back with his gals. Saying a prayer, CoopMaid

 

[redsoxs]

Wow! That is rough. Keep us posted!!

 

[Alaskan]

That rooster is VERY pretty, what breed is he?

Heartbreaking to loose a good rooster!

 

[drumstick diva]

I hope he turns up, he sounds like the kind of rooster everyone wishes they had.. is anyone else missing?

 

[JorasoliFarm]

Still no sign of him..... He was not quite a year old, pure Americauna..... We have a dozen of his chicks right now, hoping we have a few roosters, not that he is replaceable..... And no, no one else is missing......

 

[JorasoliFarm]

So I have searched for 2 days... no sign of our Roo. However, we noticed that one of our Hen's is acting very suspicious. She has been crouched when ranging, making alot of noises, broke into our secure brooder area that was her old coop & then hid behind the coop after pecking at her 2 month old chicks..... I decided to give her an exam & sure enough she has 2 wounds on her back, they are not bleeding but the feathers are gone & its hot..... I could be wrong but my thoughts are something tried to grab her & the Rooster interceded.....could a hawk drop one & then take him? her marks appear to be grab marks.






Perhaps she is just realizing that the Rooster ( her mate) is gone? Just real strange behavior!

 

[Blackoutcat]

Sorry to hear about the missing roo, it's never fun losing your beloved livestock. It seems viable that the he was taken while trying to defend his girls. The crouching (though I can't confirm chickens do this I've seen many lizards and rodents crouch) is often a predator response for attack from the sky, especially if she's crouching and cocking her head sideways to glance up. Breaking into her old coop is probably her way of trying to find safety. Keep your eyes out for predators over the next while if it got one meal it may come back looking for another. Also if you can, try and quarentine the hen that's been attacked.

Do the hens don't have access to their coop while ranging? If not providing a roofed shelter (even just a table) to hide under could help them feel more secure. I'm not an expert (far from) but taking the perspective of the animal helps a lot.

 

[Apples]

I'm so sorry! I hope you find your Rooster!!

 

[JorasoliFarm]

Thank you all for the responses. We have 6 free ranging hens that were with the rooster. They have a huge 12 x 12 enclosed coop that is wood on the bottom & chicken wire on top. They have their nesting boxes & lots of different roost options as well as fresh water & feed. They can go in and out all day. at night we lock it up. In their free range area... about an acre around the house & barn that they use... they have multiple buildings they can go under as well as a trampoline & lots of thick bushes. They can literally go from the barn to our house with only a few steps here & there un covered. Their old coop is in an entirely enclosed pen that is about 20 x 16. right off our driveway near the house. The 2 month old chicks now reside there as they do not leave the run & get locked in their own coop at night. We have another area that has a small coop, just one room that is more of a rooster house/ brooder box that is in a small fully enclosed 12x 4 area inside the enclosed area. Currently our bluff mama & her new chicks have that occupied. I do think the predator was winged not on foot as our dog was laying in the drive all evening... Maybe an owl... We think he went missing between 6:45 & 8. We didnt hear anything.....