Help! My chicken has disappeared...

[gaitedgrl]

Ok, so the other day I posted that I wanted to know how to encourage broody behavior to one of my chickens as we lost one the other day. We thought she was eaten or something....well, she was gone for 1 1/2-2days and showed up yesturday morning at the coop right when I was letting out the horses and letting the chickens out of the coop. She was there. I felt relieved that she showed back up. Well, I was talking on the phone to my Dad and told him about our missing chicken that showed back up. He asked if she was back out there....I said, I am not sure- let me go check. I went out again to check on her and sure enough she was gone! She probably hung around the coop for 15-20 minutes and then was gone again. My Dad thought that maybe she has a nest somewhere. Where do chickens like to make nests? I have searched and searched for her.
She is one of BO. We have 2 of them (only 9 chickens total). They are allowed to free range all during the day in our back yard- tall prairie grass and horse pasture, and come in at night. They normally are all back in the coop to roost at night by 8pm.
I am hoping that she is being broody and did go off and make a nest somewhere because I do have 12 fertile eggs sitting in my house that I would like someone to sit on. Is this what she would be doing and the reason why she wouldn't be coming back to the coop. She pretty much seemed to come back to eat and drink and then seemed to vanish. How the heck do I find her?

Also when I do find her would it be a good idea to put her in a dog carrier for a couple nights to sit on the fertile eggs that I have so that she doesn't leave them for her other hiding spot somewhere else? I really would like her to be able to be in the coop with the others while she is sitting on the eggs if at all possible. I fear for her right now being who knows where that she could be eaten at night by something...
She didn't come out this morning to meet me at the coop before I left for work this morning, but am hoping I will see her again tomorrow morning.

 

[Yay Chicks!]

I don't have experience with this, but it seems you might want to look under shrubs and other well protected areas. Perhaps under a porch or something like that as well...

 

[stubbornhill]

It does sound like she is perhaps "nesting" somewhere. I would keep an eye out and the next time she comes back. I would put her in a secure spot with the eggs you have and let her nest on them. If she is broody, she should take these eggs. It sounds like she will be back. Best wishes!

 

[justtoni44]

HI, So glad to hear your hen is O.K.
I do not mean to be negative.I tried putting my broody hen in a dog kennel recently and she refused to sit on the eggs.......
She was so agaitated that I let her out to see what she would do.and she returned to her original nest.
I put the eggs under her and she is happily setting them.
Silly chicken.
Then again, last year I moved a hen and she did not care, just wanted her eggs...
So, I guess the answer is.she will decide........
I don't have a clue how to find her, just keep trying.....
I tried everything with one of mine that disappeared this year and never did find her nest.
Then one day, she showed up with 9 beautiful chicks.............
Hope you have better luck.
They are such funny little creatures.......

 

[gaitedgrl]

Thank you all. She sure is being sneaky!
I have checked everywhere...I swear and multiple times. I have even sent my golden retriever around to see if he could find her (Guess he wouldn't be too good of a hunting dog!)

I am hoping she will show back up and when she does, I will try with the kennel for a couple days and then see if she can be trusted to not high tail it out when I let her out.

I wouldn't be so lucky to have chicks show up one day as the eggs she is sitting on are infertile.

 

[farmgirlforever18]

i would follow her when she comes back and see were she goes