chickens wandered off ( at least thats what i'd like to think) couple questions ?

[spencedr]

we have / had 6 layers ( approx 7 months old) , yesterday they were out free ranging, only 3 of the 6 returned for the night , found one alive and well this morning in the woods. she has been returned to the coop. there are still 2 missing and nights are starting to get cold here in nova scotia canada. the chickens have often spent many hours roaming the woods / thickets doing whatever chickens do.

a couple behavior questions ?

a neighbor has a rooster (we do not) the neighbor is approx 400 yards thru wood , we can hear the roster but not see the house. would the girls be adventurous enough to go investigate . Is that in their chicken behavior ?

yes i believe they could have been taken by a predator , after all chickens do taste good. however just curious whats the longest you have had a missing chicken suddenly show up again ?

thanks in advance for your input

 

[Pyxis]

Sorry you're missing your girls! I don't think they wandered off - I have a neighbor even closer than you, and while my flock and theirs are both free range and their flock comes onto my property from time to time, they do not mix and my birds would never go over to their place. It sounds more like something scared them badly - when faced with a predator chickens will go to cover and they will not move until it's dark. You might have a couple more show back up since you did find the one hiding in the woods.

 

[PlanterJeff]

I have an easter egger that wondered off for three days. I thought a hawk had gotten her, but then a neighbor posted a facebook post stating she had a chicken trying to get into her chicken coop. . That chicken was in fact my lost girl! They were three fenced yards down, no rooster, but very loud chickens. A month later she disappeared again and I found her up about 25 feet up in a tree. There was nothing I could do and I wasn't about to try to climb up after her so I just lefter her hoping she would return., Sure enough she was with the rest of the chickens by the next day. So, with that being said I guess it is possible they were looking for the other chickens or at least their food.