Missing Broody Cochin

[LisaMarie81]

Came home from an overnight away with my family to find my Run door wide open. The door has a double latch- one towards the bottom and one 5 feet up so obviously the birds didn't open it and neither did an animal. It's also a door I do NOT use, so I didn't open it. It happened twice over the winter too but I thought it was fluke, now I'm not so sure. I'm leaning towards "somebody" was in my yard and opened it because I am also missing a chicken. She was a broody hen that I hadn't broken the habit from yet so she never left the coop. Playing Devils advocate here - even "If" something was in the coop after it was opened there would be clear evidence in her nesting box of an attack as she never left it. There is not a single feather, not a drop of blood so she was not attacked. My other birds are all fine except one is also now missing all her tail feathers. Gone in just the 24 hours we were away. BUT no blood, no evidence of any wounds...so again, I'm thinking person messing with my flock. Why? I don't know, but locks are going up on the coop now.
My question is, (and yes I'm a realist...my bird could have gotten attacked elsewhere by now), BUT if she's just off being broody somewhere else in the yard, will she still come back to the coop when it gets dark? or will she remain broody on a nest somewhere else? Any tips or tricks to get her to come home if she's still out there somewhere? Thanks

 

[azygous]

This would sure drive me crazy trying to figure out what could have happened in your run. If your broody was sitting in a nest that she refused to leave, she wouldn't suddenly decide to run away to find another nest. Also, as you have concluded, she certainly didn't open the run herself.

A large raccoon could have opened the latch five feet up. They are tall enough stretching to their full height and clever enough to figure out door latches. It could account for the hen missing all her tail feathers, too.

But a human could do this, too, though most of the chicken stealers aren't nearly as smart as a raccoon.

The "predator" will be back. If you want to identify the culprit, get a cheap game cam and sick it up over the run door.

 

[LizzzyJo]

So sorry this happened!
You need to get a trail cam. Figure this out. It would drive me nuts.

 

[AltonaAcres]

Is your chicken enclosure near a road? Our chicken pen borders one, and there are always curious bikers and runners who will pet our goats/stand at our chicken's gate, etc.. I am really sorry! All I know is that when my broody was taken by a bobcat, there were TONS of feathers!

 

[starri33]

Were there any prints to indicate that a animal was around? it sounds more like a two legged animal to me and if it was, they will be back. Why if someone was going to steal a chicken they would only take one, I don't know, but people can be sick.

 

[mesalina87]

I am sorry she is missing. I would get a motion active light and game cam. Hopeful you will catch what did this. Good Luck.

 

[LisaMarie81]

Chicken has been found! 2 houses down on someone's back deck. She is ok. Minor leg injury. No visible wound but sore. She's segregated to our garage for observation.
No prints near the run or coop. Raccoon possible but the latches are very worn and very hard for me to open. Coop way in backyard. Not near road. Still banking on idiot kids we have in our neighborhood. They've been caught pool jumping through neighborhood and on our trampoline buried way in backyard. Going to lock the coop and game or trail camera a must. Want to know who the jerks are cause you all are right. A broody hen would not just up and leave her best. With no evidence of a struggle in there it definitely was not an animal.

 

[Anime2lover]

Sorry what happened to your hen. Hope you catch the culprit. I know id be pissed if someone did this to mine.

 

[AltonaAcres]

yay!

 

[starri33]

So glad she's been found and ok, game cam for sure and pad locks. We have a gate latch that closes an basically locks, then a wooden latch that helps hold the bottom of the door closed.