Missing Australorp Pullet...Only some of the time ???

[wordgirl]

We just got home from vacation, and the person who'd been caring for our chickens while we were gone told us that he'd thought we had twenty chickens some nights, and only nineteen other nights. Not like we'd lost one in the middle of the week and then there were nineteen. More like twenty, then nineteen, then twenty again. The night we got home there were only nineteen. I counted them last night and ruled it down to one of the dark ones. This morning I figured out that it was an Australorp. I don't think she's joined the flock yet again today, and I'm wondering where she could be. She's only fourteen weeks old, so how could it be brooding? I suppose it's possible, but on her first few eggs? She wasn't laying when we left ten days ago. Does anyone have any idea where she might be?

 

[cmom]

Hiding

 

[M To The Maxx]

I agree.

 

[wordgirl]

But why? She's never done this before.

 

[Kat'sChicks]

Welcome to the world of chickens....LOL. You could do a stake-out at dusk to see where she goes and maybe get an answer.

 

[wordgirl]

A few hours ago, I went to give them some treats and still no sign of missing Australorp. We had really heavy rain last night for about ten or fifteen minutes before stopping. Do you think that could have gotten her? I wouldn't think so, unless she ran in the wrong direction looking for the coop and is now
lost.

Where is she!?

 

[wordgirl]

Uh...she's still not back. You think she's gone...for good?

 

[gocrow77]

Maybe she is broody somewhere..... Hence the coming and going. It's possible that she has now decided it's time to sit on the eggs "full time" until they hatch.

 

[wordgirl]

Quote:
How long will she wait if the eggs aren't fertile?

 

[jjthink]

She may be hurt and need you to find her. Big search and rescue time. Hope she's okay.
JJ