Chased Off Chicken

[Kwehme09]

One of my hens got chased through the woods by a dog (not my dog). The dog never got her, but the chicken is now, understandably, missing.

Avoiding the discussion of dogs and other peoples dogs and the sucky-ness of that situation in general...now what in terms of the odds of my chicken coming back... is it just waiting game... is there anything I can do?

Thanks!

 

[sourland]

If you have a crowing rooster or the chicken is within earshot of the flock it will return. The odds of returning are pretty much proportional to how far away the bird wa chased. Hoping for it's return.

 

[Kwehme09]

Thanks for the piece of mind. I DO have a crowing rooster, which I was hoping would help!

 

[EricaD]

Exact same thing happened to one of our white leghorns! Our dog slipped out and chased her into the woods. She was gone all night and the whole next day. I was sure she was toast. But then, out of the blue, I looked over and she was back with the flock just before dusk!

 

[ChickensRDinos]

Exact same thing happened to one of our white leghorns! Our dog slipped out and chased her into the woods. She was gone all night and the whole next day. I was sure she was toast. But then, out of the blue, I looked over and she was back with the flock just before dusk!

x2 same thing happened to me. 2 nights missing and assume dead and then she just appeared like nothing had happened.

 

[HouseCat]

I have had to go search for chickens in the woods behind my house a few times and the easiest way I got them back was to go out after dark with a flashlight when she is roosting.

 

[jak2002003]

They seem to have a good 'homing' instinct. A dog got into my garden and chased all the chickens around and most flew out into the wood at the back of my house. Some others flew into the neighbours gardens, and others vanished totally.

I tried to round them all up, but they were really freaked out and jumpy and would just run away or take off and fly into the distance (they are bantams and can fly really well).

Most of the birds came back in the evening, but were still jumpy. I was really upset as many of my best birds had not come back.

Eventually they all returned - although it took some 5 days before they got back. I was surprised how well they coped in the 'wild'.

Hope you get your chicken back soon.

 

[Twizzlebee]

The chicken will return to it's flock if at all possible. I've had a silkie go missing over night and as soon as my rooster started crowing, the little guy came running from our woods to the outside of the run, waiting patiently to be let back in.

 

[centrarchid]

I have had similar problems in past. Crowing rooster can help but even with roosters I have had such strayed birds be gone for as long as months. Once they settle into new location, expecially if male, they consider it home even if location is little more than a bramble patch with a cedar tree to roost in. Retrieval of such birds requires locating roost. Method is use is sort of like deer hunting but you do not have to be as sneaky. Take lawn chair out late in evening and listen for fluttering of bird as it goes to roost. Then grab bird off roost and take it home.