Hidden Nest? Hiding Hen?

[lcwmt]

Kady is 14 months, a Bantam, the first in last year's group to lay. She has consistently laid 6 eggs/week with a month out in December. She has also, on a regular basis, chosen to hide her nests. We find them, get her reoriented, all is well for a while.
Two weeks ago we noticed that, once again, she was not using the nesting boxes in the coop and began the search for her eggs to no avail.
My plan was to confine her to quarters to reset her habits but a family emergency took me away for a week.
In my absence the errant hen went missing, or did she. She stopped coming to roost Friday night. Saturday she was seen having water and a snack, then disappeared again. Ditto on Sunday. She did not come to roost Saturday or Sunday.

The dogs are out full time when the chickens are ranging. They have not alerted and there is absolutely no sign of predator activity. There is no danger from our dogs and cat, or strays, roads or neighbors. All the other chickens are calm, productive and accounted for. FWIW, Kady has always had excellent reflexes, startles easily, flies quite well...she's spunky and alert.

I am home now and have begun the search for her hidden nest in earnest. She's small and the grasses etc here are tall. There are lots of good secret places to be had. There is also a deck on the North side of the house. The chickens like to hang out under it. It's dark, cool and safe. It is also impossible to see all the way under it to the house edge. She may be nesting back there and we'd never be able to tell.

A question for the more experienced keepers:
IF she is sitting on those eggs, how long will she go before giving up? There is a young cockerel now (almost 11 weeks old) but no reason to assume fertile eggs.

We are employing all our magic tricks to lure her in. If she shows, she'll go to the coop for a while.

Any stories to share about "missing", possibly broody chickens?
Any advice?
TIA

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I don't have stories about missing hens coming back because predators are relentless.
You're on the right track.
The possible tragic thing is that she may never give up with infertile eggs.
Keep a lookout for her daily 30 minute foray for food/water.

 

[SueT]

I agree w post #2 that she could stay broody way past reasonable time, and die, if she hasn't already fallen to predators.
I had guineas years ago that free ranged. The hens would have hidden nests, and we didn't know if they were broody or dead unless they re-appeared for a quick meal. We rarely found nests. But we never lost a nesting guinea hen to a predator, which are plentiful here. They always came back after about 4 weeks which is their incubation time. Only one brought keets with her. I didn't have any broody chickens until recently and was surprised that unlike guineas, they weren't willing to give up the nest after a reasonable amount of time. Thank goodness for BYC.

 

[lcwmt]

I don't have stories about missing hens coming back because predators are relentless.
You're on the right track.
The possible tragic thing is that she may never give up with infertile eggs.

*This is what I am most worried about.

Keep a lookout for her daily 30 minute foray for food/water.

*Will do. If I can discern a pattern, I'll put the magic carrier out with food water and treats, and try to contain her. thanks for your comments.

 

[lcwmt]

I agree w post #2 that she could stay broody way past reasonable time, and die, if she hasn't already fallen to predators.

*My initial concern was predators although we've had no issues (yes, perhaps it is a matter of time). But then she was seen two mornings in a row.

I had guineas years ago that free ranged. The hens would have hidden nests, and we didn't know if they were broody or dead unless they re-appeared for a quick meal. We rarely found nests. But we never lost a nesting guinea hen to a predator, which are plentiful here. They always came back after about 4 weeks which is their incubation time. Only one brought keets with her. I didn't have any broody chickens until recently and was surprised that unlike guineas, they weren't willing to give up the nest after a reasonable amount of time. Thank goodness for BYC.

*Thanks for sharing... What is a reasonable amount of time for a hen to sit on infertile eggs?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I would say a month maximum. However, if one doesn't have fertile eggs or intend to raise chicks, it is imperative that the hen's broodiness is broken right at the start. An elevated wire bottom cage is the best method.

 

[SueT]

⬆︎
X2, what I was gonna say.
The longer she is broody, the harder on her it is, and the longer it will take to resume laying eggs.

 

[SueT]

Do whatever you can to find and catch her. I'm sure you don't have chiggers there like here, I'd be covered in bug bites if I tromped thru the tall weeds. Not to mention ticks.

 

[lcwmt]

I would say a month maximum. However, if one doesn't have fertile eggs or intend to raise chicks, it is imperative that the hen's broodiness is broken right at the start. An elevated wire bottom cage is the best method.

Thanks for the info.
Gotta catch her first! That means she has to show herself....
When I left town she was not showing any signs of being broody at all.

 

[lcwmt]

Do whatever you can to find and catch her.
*Working on it!
I'm sure you don't have chiggers there like here, I'd be covered in bug bites if I tromped thru the tall weeds. Not to mention ticks.

*No chiggers, no mosquitoes up here. No ticks thanks to the chickens <G>.