Hen has a secret nest?

[Christalfunk]

I shut my chickens up at night because I've had problems in the past with predators. They've always went in when it got dark, but for the past 4 nights, my naked neck hen (Her name is Turkey), she hasn't went in with the rest, I shut the coop up because I can't loose anymore chickens.
Every morning I yell for her but she doesn't come, but she randomly appears when I let the other chickens outside. She eats and drinks with them then she dissapears again.
I live in the woods (My yard is open) but is surrounded by woods, and briers took over the forest floor so I can't find where she's hiding. Someone told me their chickens do that too, to the point they think their chicken has ran off or been killed, but then they'll re-appear awhile later with chicks. Could this be what my Turkey is doing? Because I've been only getting 1-4 eggs a day and I used to get anywhere from 10-18 a day and they're all having them somewhere else other than the coop.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

She does sound like she's sitting on a nest somewhere. You could follow her at a distance the next time you see her and maybe see where she's going.

 

[PD-Riverman]

Yea she is setting some where---could be dangerous to her. I would follow her from a distance when she is heading back from eating.

 

[Christalfunk]

She's too fast for me to follow, I see her eating and the next thing I know, she's gone. I have woods all around me and it's impossible for me to see where she is. My husband said he'd help me look for her this weekend.

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

Does she have a patch of missing feathers on her stomach? Broodies usually get those, they're called "brood patches".

 

[PD-Riverman]

Also if she is where you can get to her nest I would move her and the eggs just after dark to a private pen----needs to be done in the cover of darkness, quietly, having her food and water set up across from nest---not next to it. Put her there Then back away quietly using the least amount of light as possible. Then watch from a distance the next morning----some times it can break their broodiness, some times they fuss a little then settle back down. Good Luck

 

[PD-Riverman]

She's too fast for me to follow, I see her eating and the next thing I know, she's gone. I have woods all around me and it's impossible for me to see where she is. My husband said he'd help me look for her this weekend.

You just have to watch---not take your eyes off her----she usually want stay off the nest very long. Even if you loose her at the last---at least you will get in the general direction.

 

[Christalfunk]

Does she have a patch of missing feathers on her stomach? Broodies usually get those, they're called "brood patches".

She doesn't let me get close enough to see her, I will try to look tomorrow when I let the others out.

 

[Christalfunk]

Hello everyone, since I posted this... I now have chicks! I found her nest (In the woods and briars, behind a cinderblock pile) I checked on her everyday. Sunday made 21 days since she's been sitting, so yesterday I went out to see if there were any chicks and there were 4! I was so suprised! I didn't think they'd be fertile (There were 2 other chicks that were half hatched out of their eggs but they were dead.. not sure what happened there) She still has 3 eggs and today she has 5 chicks. I brought her in and put her in my 'chick pen' in my spare room with her and her babies. I was afraid something would kill her and her chicks. I hope they all survive.. This is the first time in 10 years of raising chickens that I've had a hen hatch eggs

20155590_1002964059846097_1372941911469090040_n

• Christalfunk
• Jul 19, 2017

Turken and her babies

20228305_1002964026512767_7634074674300829758_n

• Christalfunk
• Jul 19, 2017

Turken and her babies

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Congratulations