how to entice "lost" chickens back?

[crunchynut]

We recently started letting our young chickens free-range during the day on our property (several acres). They would all faithfully come back at dusk and all seemed to be going well. The other night 6 didn't come back. I had seen them around during the later part of the day and I'm pretty sure they weren't eaten by any predators (well, at that time, now, who knows). We looked all over for them but there are a lot of places they could be hiding out that are not easy for us to reach/see.

Is there any way to entice/convince them to come back and join the rest? Or at least get them out of where ever they may be hiding so we can chase them down and bring them back? I've tried throwing scratch out, but not knowing WHERE on the property (or at this point what if they left our property? - though no neighbors have seen any chickens wandering around) I doubt they even know I was throwing it out there for them.

 

[chi-rn]

Some breeds of chickens... the really active ones ... just naturally take to roosting in trees given the chance. If what you have is a calmer type of "backyard chicken", though, it would be very unusual for them to not return to the coop at night if they already had a well-established pattern of doing this. I suspect they may have been picked off by predators.... but, I hope I'm wrong.

 

[taprock]

I have one girl that always wanders off. She loves to be held, comes when called but would not come home or answer when I yelled. She was gone 2 days and nights. She is only back because I walked our 22 acres about 4 times and finally found her wandering contentedly in the woods. I wish there were a way to entice them back but if they are any thing like her I wouldn't have much hope. I really don't want to take away her free range privileges but if she keeps it up I may have to.

 

[DinosRBirds]

Chickens get hungry I'm sure they'll come out of hiding. Do they no the sound of shaking food?

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

I've tried throwing scratch out, but not knowing WHERE on the property (or at this point what if they left our property? - though no neighbors have seen any chickens wandering around) I doubt they even know I was throwing it out there for them

Keep ALL food where you want them to go instead of spreading it around.

My birds seldom go more than 50-100 yds from the coop, and spend most of their time within 100 ft of it​