My brahma hens are molting. One of them, a dark brahma named Bella, has been staying to herself the whole time. I assumed she was just cranky with the new feathers coming in.
Yesterday evening when she didn't show up at scratch time, feed in the garden, I saved a bit for her which I gave her in the chicken yard. Approx. half an hour later I did a head count at roost time and Bella was missing.
I looked everywhere, even had DH open his shop up in case she had wandered in there. I found no sign of her, no tell-tale pile of feathers, nothing. Perhaps more telling, the rest of the chickens were very relaxed. They weren't at all uptight as they would be after a predator attack. We were in and out during that period time and my ears are tuned to pick up any alarm sounds coming from the flocks. Plus, we had the dogs out and they would definitely let us know if something were afoot.
I just can't figure out where she disappeared to.
Yesterday evening when she didn't show up at scratch time, feed in the garden, I saved a bit for her which I gave her in the chicken yard. Approx. half an hour later I did a head count at roost time and Bella was missing.
I looked everywhere, even had DH open his shop up in case she had wandered in there. I found no sign of her, no tell-tale pile of feathers, nothing. Perhaps more telling, the rest of the chickens were very relaxed. They weren't at all uptight as they would be after a predator attack. We were in and out during that period time and my ears are tuned to pick up any alarm sounds coming from the flocks. Plus, we had the dogs out and they would definitely let us know if something were afoot.
I just can't figure out where she disappeared to.
