Chicken missing - what to do?

[WingsysRoost]

One of my hens has gone missing. I went to count them at lock up and she was gone. She likes to go "exploring" and is, unfortunately, a bit of an escape artist. She must have gotten out at some point this afternoon.

What are the chances of her making it if she is roosting somewhere overnight? There are a lot of predators here (fox, raccoon, coyote, weasel, and that's just the ones that I have definitely seen near or on the property). Is there anything I can do to encourage her to come back, if she does make it? Will she return to the coop looking for food and water, or do I need to go looking for her again in the daylight?

She is my favorite and I would really hate to lose her.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Folly's place]

I will explore with a flashlight when this happens, and sometimes get lucky and find the missing bird. Sometimes it's a sad ending, and once in a while the bird will return in the morning. Hens will hide a nest out there, and might be able to return in three weeks with chicks. It's happened here, but very seldom.
I hope your girl shows up!
Mary

 

[WingsysRoost]

I will explore with a flashlight when this happens, and sometimes get lucky and find the missing bird. Sometimes it's a sad ending, and once in a while the bird will return in the morning. Hens will hide a nest out there, and might be able to return in three weeks with chicks. It's happened here, but very seldom.
I hope your girl shows up!
Mary

If she's hiding somewhere, she's hidden well enough that people can't find her. I'm pretty sure I searched the spots she might be hiding three or four times and nothing.. I can only hope that she's managed to put herself out of reach of any potential predators and that she'll make her way back home once it gets light enough. If any of them are likely to be able to do that, it would be her, so I've got my fingers crossed. Thank you!

 

[DLA]

If she's hiding somewhere, she's hidden well enough that people can't find her. I'm pretty sure I searched the spots she might be hiding three or four times and nothing.. I can only hope that she's managed to put herself out of reach of any potential predators and that she'll make her way back home once it gets light enough. If any of them are likely to be able to do that, it would be her, so I've got my fingers crossed. Thank you!

I hope she turns up and is ok!

 

[WingsysRoost]

I hope she turns up and is ok!

Thank you! She's got fighting spirit, if that counts for anything at all, so I've got my fingers crossed that she'll turn up for feeding time in the morning.

 

[WingsysRoost]

She still isn't back this morning. Still trying to figure out where she could have gone, as there is literally no sign of her at all.

 

[WingsysRoost]

She is back!!!

So thankful for a chicken that responds to her name. The chickens were acting odd, clustered by the fence line. Called for her and could hear her "honk-honk-honk-HONK" in the brush along the fence.

I'm not sure how she survived outside overnight or where she went, but I'm so thankful she was able to return this morning!

 

[DLA]

She is back!!!

So thankful for a chicken that responds to her name. The chickens were acting odd, clustered by the fence line. Called for her and could hear her "honk-honk-honk-HONK" in the brush along the fence.

I'm not sure how she survived outside overnight or where she went, but I'm so thankful she was able to return this morning!

Happy she's back!!