I'm a horrible chicken Mom. . . .

[Peppercorngal]

Yesterday I finally realized (must have been two days) I'm missing a chicken from the flock! I've been leaving the coop doors open because of the heat and it makes me very nervous to do so. I finally went out and counted everyone tonight and yes, one of my wyandotte's is missing. I immediately freaked and looked in the chicken food shed. Once I locked a chicken in there all night and half the next day before I opened it to feed the birds. She was fine. It's been 100 to 106 daily and I thought if I shut her in the shed she would be dead in hours. Well, I checked and she isn't there. I knew she wouldn't be there as I was in there early today. Tonight I counted everyone and she is the only one missing. How horrible of me to have not noticed until today. I'm a bad chicken Mom. I have (now) 40 grown chickens and 9 eight week old chickens. I feel really bad for her. We have fox, coyote, racoons, and the worst, bears. I haven't heard or seen anything and my dog has not alerted to anything either. I have a 7 foot fence around the two coops and was hoping they would be safe. I could kick myself. Just wanted to share with y'all, don't be like me. Maybe best to count every night!!!

 

[orloffer]

I'm glad your chicken is safe! Don't feel too bad about it; we all make mistakes from time to time.

 

[RW1984]

Don’t feel too bad. I think I lost one and didn’t notice for about 2 days or two weeks, not sure which lol. I went from 36 to 35 and couldnt figure when or how.
So I used an extra rooster (I have 7 in my flock) and used him as live bait in a dog cage tonight.
Mr fox came to visit shortly after dark and, happy to say, did not go home.
After verifying my kill, I checked on the roo and put him back in with the rest.
I intend to do this every couple weeks to keep an eye on predators.
Might be something for you to look into also

 

[RW1984]

Also, you aren’t a horrible chicken mom.
Avenge your hen and make your neighborhood safer

 

[thepick4uchicks]

Yesterday I finally realized (must have been two days) I'm missing a chicken from the flock! I've been leaving the coop doors open because of the heat and it makes me very nervous to do so. I finally went out and counted everyone tonight and yes, one of my wyandotte's is missing. I immediately freaked and looked in the chicken food shed. Once I locked a chicken in there all night and half the next day before I opened it to feed the birds. She was fine. It's been 100 to 106 daily and I thought if I shut her in the shed she would be dead in hours. Well, I checked and she isn't there. I knew she wouldn't be there as I was in there early today. Tonight I counted everyone and she is the only one missing. How horrible of me to have not noticed until today. I'm a bad chicken Mom. I have (now) 40 grown chickens and 9 eight week old chickens. I feel really bad for her. We have fox, coyote, racoons, and the worst, bears. I haven't heard or seen anything and my dog has not alerted to anything either. I have a 7 foot fence around the two coops and was hoping they would be safe. I could kick myself. Just wanted to share with y'all, don't be like me. Maybe best to count every night!!!

Sorry about your chicken. Don’t beat yourself up about it. This heat has been awful. My coop and run is completely secure and I have been such a chicken about their safety I am so OCD about it that I probably have made them suffer more in the heat by closing them up when I could have left my coop door open to let them get cooler air in their. I just get so afraid something will happen beyond my control if they aren’t behind that big bad safe door. Ah! Who knows ! But I hope we get a break soon! I think the heat has fried all of our brains for now! And our emotions!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I'm sure you feel bad, but don't be too hard on yourself. If you had 3 birds and didn't realized you'd lost one for two days, I might be a little judgmental! But one out of 40? That could easily happen to anybody. Lay aside the guilt, tighten your defenses, and go on doing the best you can. Nobody is here to judge you and make you feel bad. Forgive yourself and move on.

 

[RW1984]

Sorry about your chicken. Don’t beat yourself up about it. This heat has been awful. My coop and run is completely secure and I have been such a chicken about their safety I am so OCD about it that I probably have made them suffer more in the heat by closing them up when I could have left my coop door open to let them get cooler air in their. I just get so afraid something will happen beyond my control if they aren’t behind that big bad safe door. Ah! Who knows ! But I hope we get a break soon! I think the heat has fried all of our brains for now! And our emotions!

Does your coop have windows? My coop is a metal shed and I lock it with a nut and bolt and I cut a 6 foot long 1 ft high window in it and framed it on the inside. The window fram can be removed anytime to fix it but I put chicken wire on the outside so stuff can’t climb in and they can’t get out
That’ll help your birds keep cool if they get a window or two or three

 

[thepick4uchicks]

Does your coop have windows? My coop is a metal shed and I lock it with a nut and bolt and I cut a 6 foot long 1 ft high window in it and framed it on the inside. The window fram can be removed anytime to fix it but I put chicken wire on the outside so stuff can’t climb in and they can’t get out
That’ll help your birds keep cool if they get a window or two or three

Oh yes! They have three. And it is vented wonderfully at the top and sides all covered with hardware cloth for protection. I’m just paranoid. Too many predators.

 

[Sonya9]

Could she be sitting on eggs somewhere?

 

[Peppercorngal]

I'm glad your chicken is safe! Don't feel too bad about it; we all make mistakes from time to time.

No, my wyandotte is not safe, she is gone. I am human, that is true!