How far could/would they go?

[imacowgirl2]

We had a dog get into the chicken coop/run yesterday afternoon while the chickens were free ranging. The dog killed one chicken, and two were safe on the roosts in the coop, but we've see no sign, either dead or alive, of the 11 others. I suspect they managed to escape alive. They are 8 week old pullets...in their panic to get away from the dog how far could/would they go? I have no idea which direction they went, and we have thick cover in one direction and medium cover in two of four directions, so the searching is slow going. The incident happened about two - three hours before sun down yesterday evening, so they didn't make it back to the coop before sunset. I suspect that in their panic, they probably escaped beyond their known territory, so trying to figure out realistically how far we should focus our search. Obviously the longer they are missing the further they could roam if they are roaming in a direction away from home.

 

[SilverBirds]

Do you live in a neighborhood or have neighbors closeish by? Maybe you can ask them to be on the lookout of rouge chicks. I'd wander around and look for them as much as you can. Because they were out and exposed they could have been swooped by any number of predators. Hope you find some, if not all. Sorry for your loss.

 

[imacowgirl2]

Do you live in a neighborhood or have neighbors closeish by? Maybe you can ask them to be on the lookout of rouge chicks. I'd wander around and look for them as much as you can. Because they were out and exposed they could have been swooped by any number of predators. Hope you find some, if not all. Sorry for your loss.

Thanks!

The closest neighbors are at least 1/4 mile away, in most directions it is closer to a mile and we have asked them to keep an eye out. We are in mostly wooded area, with a few hay fields...but I don't think they made it into the fields in their panic because the closest one is about 1/4 mile from their coop... But then again, I really have zero idea how far they can run/fly when panicked.

I'm really hoping that all this cover (crazy thick multi flora roses and overgrown woodlands) that is making it impossible to search for them is also helping protect them from most predators...I worry most about the coyotes at night.

 

[SilverBirds]

I got a little serama rooster when we moved to our new house. He got scared and flew into the woods. We went and searched for him for two days and found nothing. We were afraid he either flew to far into the woods and would starve or a predator had gotten him before us. On the third day we decided to look one more time before giving up hope. We found him under a bush alive and well! Don't lose hope, they could still be there somewhere.

 

[Byrd gal]

Yell like hell !!! Start walking and call them I lost a bird and even though I didnt find her, she found her way back from calling her. I hope you get your babies back. I would post at the local store you lost them so if they go to a house maybe someone will be honest. If you could poster at the elementary school kids are always outside offer a reward. Praying for you!!

 

[3KillerBs]

Hopefully any that are left alive will be attracted to the calls from the ones still in the coop.

 

[Coops Dad]

Some of our chickens are real adventurers and stray well beyond their 6 acre pasture. When it's time to put them up for the evening, I call them back by shaking a handful of feed in the tin pan we use to scoop the feed out of the barrel with.

It works like a charm.