Chicks wondering off

sjarreau

In the Brooder
10 Years
Jan 7, 2010
10
0
22
Jarreau, La.
I need any advice on my buffs that are about 3 months old and 1 bantam same age. Most of my chickens free roam on the property except at night. We call them and lock them up. The 8 buff's started going to the back pasture further and further. Yesterday when we call 5 of them and 1 bantam was missing. I don't ever remember seeing the batam go with them to the back. Well anyway my husband took the truck and rode to the back and found one and it walked in front of his truck and came all the way back to the barn like that peeping. then he went back found another and same thing and then one more showed up. we were still missing 3 buffs and 1 bantam. I notice my cats scrouched down in the attack mode and I think he may have been looking at my buffs that were in the barn. My rooster jumped him and that was the end of that. Cat ran away. Well I have a couple of questions, do you think that my cat would eat the bantam? He has never done anything like that ever. But i've never seen him do what he did yesterday. And do you think my buffs got lost? And if I go back there this afternoon do you think I would have a chance to find them? Or if they heard the Roo would they come this way?
I put the buffs and bantams in a big brooder last night when we got them in and left them there today. i will let them out this afternoon when i get home so i can keep and eye on them. Should i be letting them wonder like that or should I lock them up in the barn? My older chickens don't even go out of the chicken yard area they stay right around the barn and just hang out. Seems like the little one always want to wonder far away. Any advice on this would be greatly appreciated.
 
I suspect what is happening is that they have formed themselves into a separate group. Mine have about 3 groups and free range, but they go back in the coop at night. I've had one or two stay out a couple of times but now they all go in. I don't call them, they go on their own. Their food and water is in the coop only.

Some people lock their chickens in the coop for a few days or week when the chickens are reluctant to go in, to teach them where they are supposed to go at night. I figured they'd go in when they got hungry. For whatever reason, they did.

You might also watch them when together, be sure you don't have a bully.
 
I agree with ddawn. They probably have made their social groups. I have one younger flock that always wanders much farther than the older girls who stay around the barnyard. I don't call mine in. They always put themselves in at dusk. They know where its safe at night.
 
I really appreciated the feed back. They all but the bantam was there last night. When i got home i drove to the back and couldn't find them but my son came running in a dusk and said they are all in the barn! thanks!
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom