Chickens got out

[sawilliams]

So I'm not sure how but my chickens got out of the coop and into my main yard where my dog was. They have they own run but I hadn't gone out the open the run hatch yet when I heard a ruckus. I would assume the dog heard the morning food ruckus and went to check some how bumping the latch and letting the chickens free. Fortunately she only harassed them a bit and I was able to round 5 of the 6. But the other is still MIA. I can only assume she hopped the fence, her wings are clipped but I imagine with enough reason she could have easily hopped over the wall at one end where the hill on the side of my yard come within 3 feet of the top of the fence. Unfortunately, we have asked all the neighbors and checked the area on the other side of the wall but we have large fields near us that are very over grown with black berry brush and i'm afraid even if we find her we won't be able to get her back. Does anyone have any suggestions other then counting her as a loss?

 

[Teila]

Howdy sawilliams

I hope you do not have to count her as a loss and I would not do that just yet.

There is always the hope that she will find her own way back and I have read many stories of that happening.

I am guessing your chickens do not free range at all?

Do you have a call that you use for treats? If you do, it would definitely be a good idea to try that. While she may not be able to find her way back over the fence, using the call near the fence might be enough to encourage her into sight.

When you say “even if we find her, we won’t be able to get her back”, is that because she is not used to being picked up?

If you do get sight of her but cannot catch her, keep an eye on her until dusk when she will hopefully find somewhere to roost for night and as long as it is not too high, you may be able to catch her when dark.

I would try going out at dusk with some treats and calling her as she may be hungry and looking for somewhere to roost at this time and hearing a familiar voice may attract her. I would also take out a torch at night when she is not going to be moving much and see if she can be spotted.

I have also read of people putting out cages with food to entice escaped chickens. Or, putting one of the remaining chickens in a cage in an area you think she might be as this may also attract her attention (not sure I would do that with one of my gals though).

I hope you are able to find her

 

[sawilliams]

Thank you. We have been out sreaching a few times and talking to neighbors. The fields are so overgrown it would be to dangerous to go into the fields to get her even if we did find her. Unfortunately we have only had her and the others about 3 week, she is around 4-6 months old but the family we got them from they have become a bit wild and aren't use to human contact. All the chickens are starting to come around but still very reserved. Infact it's only been the past 2 days I had been able to get them all to come out for meal worm. They have a large run on the one side of the house but becuase this is new for us and the dogs we do keep them separate so there isn't any issues. It was just crazy that the door got open in the first place. The coop door opens to the main yard so I can get in and out easily checking for egas and cleaning and such. The chicken door opens into the fenced chicken yard but was closed and latched still since I hadn't been out to open it yet.

 

[Teila]

Hhhm, sawilliams it definitely sounds like you are doing all you can and I hope she does come back. The fact that she is not used to people and you have not had her long makes your task that little bit harder

I did have another thought which was from reading another post this morning where someone thought they had ‘lost their chicken’ and found her squeezed into a 3” gap between two coops:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1051829/giving-thanks-for-a-missing-chicken

Have you checked absolutely everywhere on your property that she may be hiding? She may not have gone over the fence and could have secured herself somewhere, similar to the above?

 

[sawilliams]

Omg she never even left our yard. Well she did but didn't. I kept wanting to believe she went into the garage, which we keep the back door open for the dogs. But I kept checking and never saw her. Sure enough we finally let daisy our hound dog back out to free roam her yard when suddenly she started freaking out at the garage refrigerator. That's when I heard the cluck. My husband was just out the door to run to the store when I ran out yelling for him. I grabbed the dog he pulled out the fridge and sure enough she worked her way into the drip pan under the fridge and was safe and caught and now back in her home with the other hens. What a relief

 

[sawilliams]

And we put a clasp on the door latch to make sure that doesn't happen again

 

[sawilliams]

I guess she did just that. There was maybe a 3 inch gap behind the fridge and about 3 inches of height under it where she was hiding. I'm so glad we found her. But for myself and for my kids, they each got to claim and name one and this one belongs to my oldest, my 7yr son.

Hhhm, sawilliams it definitely sounds like you are doing all you can and I hope she does come back.  The fact that she is not used to people and you have not had her long makes your task that little bit harder 

I did have another thought which was from reading another post this morning where someone thought they had ‘lost their chicken’ and found her squeezed into a 3” gap between two coops:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1051829/giving-thanks-for-a-missing-chicken

Have you checked absolutely everywhere on your property that she may be hiding? She may not have gone over the fence and could have secured herself somewhere, similar to the above?

 

[Teila]

Wow! I am so happy to read your post!!

YES!!

 

[sawilliams]

Thank you Teila for the support. If anything out was nice to have your bits of hope coming my way.

 

[b.hromada]

I hope you find your sweet girl. And yes, they can find their way out, even when we think they can't.