alohamade
Chirping
That's it. Her name is Ariel, but I'm changing it to Hen Houdini because I have a feeling she's Harry Houdini's pet descendant 
<just kiddin'>
Every morning after my morning 'alarm' (rooster) wakes me up and the kids are off to school, I let my flock of 8 hens free range our property. They're very tame and friendly and I am super proud of them!
I normally watch them free range outside every single second of the day when I let them out, because we have stray cats and mongoose. And because I'm obsessed with watching them. HEHE.
I have one hen out of the entire flock, Ariel aka Hen Houdini, that began molting about a week and a half ago. Now, I'm always constantly counting my flock to make sure everyone's there and not out of line. Ariel disappeared within the 3 minutes it took me to use the restroom (sorry TMI) in my house. After a brief moment of shock, because my count of 9 suddenly turned to 8, I gathered the rest of the flock and put them back into the coop so I could search for her.
Not even a shake of the mealworm mixed treat can (which they absolutely love) could bring her to me.
She hasn't been laying any eggs and she is nearing the end of her molt. This morning when I let them all out, I complimented on how her feathers were coming out so nicely!
I checked the dogs, even though they're in kennels, and I searched the entire property. I even went as far as browsing our neighbors yard (they're family).
She just vanished.
I saw some posts regarding a similar situation about hens disappearing, and they just waited it out for their hens to come back home, if...predators didn't get to them.
I'll be waiting for my girl, but I'll continue searching for her at the same time.
The stray cats are actually a few kittens with their mama, and I witnessed my flock of hens eating the barley out of our pig trough with the stray cats one day. (Yes, we have pigs and a goat) So I know it couldn't have been them. Also, the mongoose are so small compared to the flock, it would take a whole army of mongoose to even scare the hen. Besides, I have my rooster to watch them as well. But Miss Ariel did some sort of magic to disappear within those few minutes I was 'busy'. I will update you all if she does come back. That'll mean her disappearing act was a success (and scare!) I'll make sure it was her first and final act.
<just kiddin'>Every morning after my morning 'alarm' (rooster) wakes me up and the kids are off to school, I let my flock of 8 hens free range our property. They're very tame and friendly and I am super proud of them!
I normally watch them free range outside every single second of the day when I let them out, because we have stray cats and mongoose. And because I'm obsessed with watching them. HEHE.
I have one hen out of the entire flock, Ariel aka Hen Houdini, that began molting about a week and a half ago. Now, I'm always constantly counting my flock to make sure everyone's there and not out of line. Ariel disappeared within the 3 minutes it took me to use the restroom (sorry TMI) in my house. After a brief moment of shock, because my count of 9 suddenly turned to 8, I gathered the rest of the flock and put them back into the coop so I could search for her.
Not even a shake of the mealworm mixed treat can (which they absolutely love) could bring her to me.
She hasn't been laying any eggs and she is nearing the end of her molt. This morning when I let them all out, I complimented on how her feathers were coming out so nicely!
I checked the dogs, even though they're in kennels, and I searched the entire property. I even went as far as browsing our neighbors yard (they're family).
She just vanished.
I saw some posts regarding a similar situation about hens disappearing, and they just waited it out for their hens to come back home, if...predators didn't get to them.
I'll be waiting for my girl, but I'll continue searching for her at the same time.
The stray cats are actually a few kittens with their mama, and I witnessed my flock of hens eating the barley out of our pig trough with the stray cats one day. (Yes, we have pigs and a goat) So I know it couldn't have been them. Also, the mongoose are so small compared to the flock, it would take a whole army of mongoose to even scare the hen. Besides, I have my rooster to watch them as well. But Miss Ariel did some sort of magic to disappear within those few minutes I was 'busy'. I will update you all if she does come back. That'll mean her disappearing act was a success (and scare!) I'll make sure it was her first and final act.
