- Jun 8, 2013
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Hello!
I have a peculiar hen. Bit of a background.. I've raised all my chickens from chicks & the only homes they've ever known is their brooder & the coop/run they're in now.
Back to this hen, Sam, she's a lone wolf & likes to explore & wander. They are free range chickens, to an extent, we have 2 acres fenced off that they're free to roam. Sometimes Sam will come over to the house, which is on the opposite end of the 2 acres. Sometimes she comes with friends & sometimes she comes by herself! I look out sometimes & see just one chicken hanging out by itself.. it's usually Sam! Lately I've been feeling like I'm seeing her in the mornings before I let the other chickens out of the run. As in, I let them out, they go to an area & then Sam runs up. I don't always count them before they go to sleep, but I try to as often as possible.
Last night we had some bad storms, I went in to count & couldn't find Sam! I looked all over for that crazy hen! My husband kept calling for her, but I told him wherever she was, she was already up for the night. We chalked it up to the storm & maybe she just couldn't get to the coop in time. However this morning I open the door & there's Ol' Sam running to the house! I had no clue where she slept. BUT about 5 minutes later I caught her very high up in a tree! I don't know if that's where she was last night or not.. but how can I keep her going back to the coop at night? I don't want to cut her wings in fear that might slow her down if a predator is after her.
Any advice is appreciated!
I attached a picture of her in the tree before she started working her way up!
She was sort of making "grumpy" noises also (that broodys would make).
I have a peculiar hen. Bit of a background.. I've raised all my chickens from chicks & the only homes they've ever known is their brooder & the coop/run they're in now.
Back to this hen, Sam, she's a lone wolf & likes to explore & wander. They are free range chickens, to an extent, we have 2 acres fenced off that they're free to roam. Sometimes Sam will come over to the house, which is on the opposite end of the 2 acres. Sometimes she comes with friends & sometimes she comes by herself! I look out sometimes & see just one chicken hanging out by itself.. it's usually Sam! Lately I've been feeling like I'm seeing her in the mornings before I let the other chickens out of the run. As in, I let them out, they go to an area & then Sam runs up. I don't always count them before they go to sleep, but I try to as often as possible.
Last night we had some bad storms, I went in to count & couldn't find Sam! I looked all over for that crazy hen! My husband kept calling for her, but I told him wherever she was, she was already up for the night. We chalked it up to the storm & maybe she just couldn't get to the coop in time. However this morning I open the door & there's Ol' Sam running to the house! I had no clue where she slept. BUT about 5 minutes later I caught her very high up in a tree! I don't know if that's where she was last night or not.. but how can I keep her going back to the coop at night? I don't want to cut her wings in fear that might slow her down if a predator is after her.
Any advice is appreciated! I attached a picture of her in the tree before she started working her way up!
She was sort of making "grumpy" noises also (that broodys would make).
She's obviously getting quite high into the tree, and some birds survive for years doing this.
