Chickens Escaped

[BellevueOmlet]

I have three beautiful ladies - 1 BR and 2 Ameracaunas. This weekend I had food poisening that kept me in bed except trips to the bathroom to vomit.
We have a small coop 9 x 4 so we like to let the chickens free rangle on our small unenclosed lot during the weekends. My wife let them out but was not able to rangle them up before dark so only one came home. It has been rainy and dark and the two missing did not come home that night. The following day around 3pm, my other americauna came home drenched, acting weird and quiet. My alpha leader chicken is the BR and she is the one that has not ocme home. She has been out 2 nights and this is the only time in her life she has been out of the coop during the night. I know how they go into a trance once it gets dark and have seen them fall asleep on the ground before so I am not confident she found a high perch to stay safe. We have coyotes, racoons, beavers and other predators and I am not feeling confident I will see my periwinkle again.

What do you think my chances of her being safe are? I was so happy to see Claire come back looking like a drowned rat and the lone chicken in the coop was very happy too as she had been calling out to them all day and was very lonely. I am very gracious to have her back but want to have all of them back. It sounds pathetic but I am putting up "lost chicken" signs around my neighborhood.

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

I would start walking and looking, calling her name, shaking a treat can if she is use to the sound - places you would not think a chicken would be - squashed up against the house, under the house if possible. Look under over turned buckets - if you have a close neighbor, ask them to check their garage. Look under cars and up in wheel wells. Black berry brambles - check them out too.



I really hope you are able to find her

 

[flowergirl60]

Don't give up. I would go out looking for them. Hopefully they have found a safe place from predators. I hope you find them safe and sound. Keep us posted.

 

[BellevueOmlet]

Thanks, i will search high and low when I get home from work. I have not looked yet due to being so sick so my wife spent some good time walking around the neighborhood but I'm not really sure how good of a job she did. She really wants to find them but does not know them like I do and might miss the one place they were hiding.

 

[tigtoy]

use treats to tame her and try to get her to com e when you call her name.

 

[BellevueOmlet]

What type of treats would you use? I only give them vegies and BOSS. I don't know how I could use those to find her. Any suggestions? TIA

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

Mine are use to a certain bucket that carries all their goodies. When they see the bucket, they will mob me or my DH. If you carry the boss in a specific container - bring it with you when you go looking. Ask the neighbors on all sides of you if you can search their yard, check under decks also.

Other treats you can feed - mealworms (very high demand at our house, so we raise our own - very very easy to do) crickets (can be gotten from pet stores) and another great treat that your birds will love - meat (cooked or raw) chicken, steak, hamburger, pork.

 

[BellevueOmlet]

No luck. I am still holding out because she is a strong bird with a lot of fight. She is also very curious so she might be traveling to exotic neighborhoods - I will keep looking.

 

[BellevueOmlet]

It has been almost a whole week. I am done searching and not expecting her back any more. I did not find any feathers anywhere or anything showing any signs, well it's probably better that way, I can imagine that she found a great new home with a good tree and a lot of food.

 

[BigDaddy'sGurl]

Have you ever considered that she may have gone broody somewhere? I know the odds aren't high, but until 3+ weeks have passed, don't lose hope! I'm thinking of you!