Counted my chickens today, missing a hen

[happyhens]

My only Buff Orpington hen is missing

She was one of my favorites, she went broody and raised 9 chicks last year, I was looking forward to her possibly going broody again this spring. She is totally gone, no sign of a struggle, no feathers, nothing. They are kept in their coop most of the time, but sometimes I do let them out for an hour or 2 to hunt for bugs, lay in the sun, whatever they want to do. I keep an eye on them while I am doing chores, but sometimes I leave them for a few minutes, but still not for very long.
I am so dissappointed. Buff Orpingtons are one of my favs, hopefully I can raise some Buff Orpington chicks this year.

 

[Schultz]

I'm sorry you can't find her. I feel the same way about BO's. My favorite is the one in my avater and I wouldn't know what to do if she were gone. I hope you have a happy ending!

 

[Robin L]

this just happened to me and I have to tell you to look every where. I assumed mine was "taken" and gave up after 2 days. 8 days later I found her stuck along side the coop alive. I looked where she was four times and didnt see her. I felt so awful. She is gaining weight and doing wonderful. So please look every where for her and if possible have someone else look too.

 

[estpr13]

She should be too big for a hawk. Dogs, and other four legged creatures would leave feathers. Either a person took her, or she's broody and hiding, or she went on a walk about. I have also had chickens scattered about the neighborhood because of a hawk attack which didn't kill anything just scared them and then they didn't know how to get home. (or want to?)

 

[kryptoniteqhs]

well i had the same thing happen....i had 12 of them out free ranging and then 3 turned up missing. No sign of a struggle of any kind, they just vanished. Funny thing is that the 3 that went missing are all the same type and 2 are roos, so they cant be going broody. Unless they think its fun to watch the pullet. I dont know. Theyve been gone 2 or 3 days now and I dont know what to do. I did set up a trap. I hope it works.

 

[skya328]

The same thing happened to me today. We let ours free range on our 3 1/2 acres. We did a head count (not difficult with only 6 birds!) after work and couldn't find one of the hens. They're only 17 weeks old, so she's likely not broody somewhere. I'm just beside myself, too.

I feel like a bad chicken mom. I'm so sorry that your girl is missing, I hope she shows back up.

 

[swampwander]

DSD has her own flock of BO's that she foolishly allows to free range in her neighborhood with all the stray dogs. Anyways, long story short - a couple of dogs were going after the flock and one of the hens disappeared. She came back a week later. Missing a few feathers, but ok. Seems she was hanging with the other local flock, feral mutt chickens. I guess she heard her roo and decided it was time to go home.

So, keep your head up and hope for the best. Sometimes they are tougher than we think.

 

[Schultz]

Any good news happyhens???

 

[happyhens]

No, she is still gone

A couple of years ago we had a fox visit and take off with a few chickens. We would have never known what had happened to them if the neighbor hadn't called and told us that he had seen a fox running away from the barn with a chicken in his mouth. Sure enough, I went down to the woods on the other side of the barn and found several piles of feathers. It just occurred to me that maybe another fox is hanging around, guess I should go to the woods and look for feathers. I keep hoping that she ran off somewhere and went broody, but somehow I just feel like I will never see her again. Thanks for the encouragement.

 

[Biddieacres]

I sure hope you find her.