Chicken took a midnight stroll?

[chickencrazy21]

What would cause a chicken to be up and about at night? It was time to let the dogs out to go potty before bed. I was nervious cuz the dog next door was barking. But im like eh the dogs pen is 6 feet high and 2 feet deep with cement around. So i turned on the flood lights and let the dogs out but went out with them. Bindee and Oreo were hell bent on standing in one corner and sniffing. I could see something but it was just out of reach of the light. I had slippers on walk up to the corner they are in and see one of my chickens on the middle of the hill. So i unlock the gate sneak out and go pick her up i proceeded to ask her why she was out instead of roosting with the others. She didnt answer. So in the dark...with slippers on. I take her up the hill and into the pen and set her down. I glance around in the dark dont see anything unusal. Shes fine and the others are fine stairing back at me. I walk back down sneak back in the gate with two very aware dogs knowing what i just did. And lock the gate. The chicken i put back (i asume it was her not possitive) starts singing (google it if you have never heard it) they sing when they lay an egg....why is she layong an egg at 11:30 at night? This has never happend before that im aware of. Sure i had a chicken decide to lay an egg in the tree and it fell and broke open but i dont think any have laid in the middle of the night...this is a first. Im not sure if she was actually roaming the backyard in the dark i have there coop/run open for daytime roaming. But usually at dusk they all start heading to bed. So i dont know if she decided to go for a midnight stroll or if she had been out the hole time just sitting in the same spot or what....so confused.

 

[Pork Pie]

All sounds unusual to me and to be honest I can't think of why it happened apart from some kind of predator upsetting their usual lala time. Am sure someone else will be along to share their experiences.

Ct

 

[drumstick diva]

Maybe she just couldn't fall asleep and felt exercise would wear her out.

 

[chickencrazy21]

Ive had chickens for a little over two years and this is deffinatly a first for me. Were in the middle of redesigning a new run for them that will be bigger but our guy has been sick latly. Our first priority was the dog pen to secure our dogs as my moms weim finally realized after 5 years that the side of the fence was only 4 feet. First she climbed it. Then went for a running leap and gracefully cleared it with a good 2 feet to spare. Each time she retreaved a chicken....the chickens didnt like it both died of shock. So we did the dog pen then were planing the chicken pen. But the flu hit our guy hard and knocked a big burly guy on his butt.i dont even know if the gate to the pen will close.

 

[chickencrazy21]

Maybe she just couldn't fall asleep and felt exercise would wear her out.

lol maybe shes one brave chicken. We live in a regular neighborhood so its populated except our house was built in the 50s. So we have a big backyard. And no houses behind us. Just to both sides. Its like a small section of a very psthetic tree wise woods.

 

[chickencrazy21]

This is just part of our backyard. It doesnt show the dog area. Under the tree is where the chickens are kept. The middle of the hill half way down is where i found one of my girls. Behind the propery fence is a good...idk football field or more area for wildlife. This was almost 2 years ago when the hill caught fire. No chickens were harmed we were lucky for sime good citizen stoped and held off the flames with a garden hose and yelled at the firemen to get there attention to "livestalk over here" he disapeared as fast as he appeared.