Today I let my girls out to free range like I do everyday. Its the second day without the rooster that I had to take back, and a new pullet partitioned off in the tractor. We had some heavy rain come through and usually they run for cover in the garden, under the deck or back in the coop. Today they vanished. All five. Has anyone else's done this? Have they come back?
Wish I had more to give you than How much land do you have forthem to freerange? I have 5ac but my 5 girls seem to stick mostly to the 1/2ac the house sits on. I'm a newbie, got my hens last May, so this is their first Summer being out & about by themselves. Mine do seem to know where their coop is and put themselves to bed at sunset. Even though it's not totally dark I'll find them roosting inside the coop when I go out around 8P. I let them out of their yard at 5P when I get home from work. I hope your girls turn up safe & sound & yelling at you about the rain you obviously let happen to them.
Oh yes. At least twice, my little flock of Brabanters was "nowhere to be seen"! And they appeared together, safe and sound. They were hiding in the woods that surrounds my house.
I have a little over an acre for them plus they like my neighbor and he likes them so they'll wander onto his acre as well. We're surrounded by woods. I'm about to go venture into the poison ivy now. I hope they're as smart as your chickens...lol Thanks!
When chickens go to ground you won't find them unless you step directly on them. I've spent plenty of time trying to hunt down spooked chickens. The only time it worked was when we had the dog with us and she fell over one in the tall grass. Better to just wait. Unless something has gotten them they nearly always return to the coop when it starts to get dark.
I bet they will show up at dusk and be ready to go to bed. Mine do this every day. I see them off and on all day but when night comes, they make there way to the coop and put themselves to bed.
So I get my long pants and shirt on in the wonderful 83 degrees and 75% humidity to walk through the woods. And what do you know but i step out on my patio and there they are under the deck. They really haven't wandered too far since they got back tonight. Thanks for the support! I really do feel like the crazy chicken lady now...
