It's always the favorite

[7L Farm]

Almost but not this time.I have two coops of chickens. I let one flock out at 9AM everyday to range. At 3 PM I put them up & let the other flock out & they put themselves up & I lock them up at dark.
I wanted to go to my deer blind at 4 PM its across the creek. I tried to get all of the 9 AM flock back into their coop at 3 PM but two wouldn't go in. I said Owell let them be & they will be right by the door when I return. So, I let the other flock out & off I went to the deer blind. Saw some deer & it started getting dark.
So, I leave to go put up the two that wouldn't go in. Only one problem there was only one. My favorite girl a rescued DOM.was missing. I thought about leaving her out but then started looking for her. I looked everywhere. Nothing!!! I started thinking I have to find her she will get eaten by a coon I have been seeing. I've been trying to trap the coon but he's a smart one.
I finally for some reason I looked on top of the run & there she was I couldn't believe it. I will have to say she's pretty smart. The only thing that could of got her there would of been an owl. My coop & run has hot wire around it so no climbing predator could of got her.
It would of been a sleepless night if I didn't find her.

 

[Mattemma]

Glad to read that you found her.

 

[ozark_chickies]

I'm glad you found her. I accidentally locked a Dominique hen out of the hen house the other night, and she roosted outside my bedroom window. Didn't know she was out there till she woke me up the next morning.

 

[7L Farm]

Quote:
I just can't believe I looked up there. It was a God thing I swear. She probably would of been safe. In my mind my first thoughts were this girl is smart. I've never seen her jump that high. The real problem is she lives with 9 red chickens & 1 red roo. She's an outcast & she doesn't like them pecking her so she's always hard to put up every evening.

 

[ladysfield]

Always the favorite! How true! Our first successful predator attack this year took my favorite hen, a Speckled Sussex, a month ago. The only one I named out of the spring group of chickens. So friendly she would run and perch on my lap if I sat down outside. A raccoon nabbed her on a bright afternoon. We cage at night, but allow the hens to free range around the house and barn during the day. Seems a little strange for a coon to be active during the day...

I was concerned because a neighbor had a confirmed case of rabies in a domestic kitten this summer about a quarter mile away. Rabies seems more prevalent during exceptionally hot summers, and this last one certainly qualified. Guess the lack of food and water drives the wildlife closer. The raccoon killed my Buff Orpington rooster two nights later. Stood outside his run and tormented him until he stuck his stupid head through the wire to peck. We were able to trap said coon two nights later. NO MORE RACCOON!

I suppose friendly chickens reflect the lack of protective instinct or they wouldn't be friendly, but gee! Any of them but Houdini!

 

[ozark_chickies]

Maybe you need some more Dominiques to keep her company? I thought my girl was smart, choosing to roost right outside my window. If anything had got after her I would have heard it. We have owls, coon, skunks, etc. etc, and she was sleeping four feet from me. If she had roosted in the tree by the henhouse, anything could have got her,and I wouldn't have heard a thing. I've been real careful, not to lock anyone else out since then.