Missing chickens mystery

[Ferrn]

We're a little sad here. We are missing 3 chickens!! My evidence of "fowl" play, no feathers, dead birds or any of that. Some one posted the other day about chickens being clickish and we had that here but with the older ones and the younger ones not breed seperation. Well, 2 "big" ones and 1 "little" one are just gone. We looked everywhere around the yard and surrounding pasture but nothing. My son is still hopeful that they will just come home but we are baffled. Any one out there have this problem and do you think it is a predator?? Thanks for ANY advice.

Jen

 

[lurky]

I wonder if they are off sitting on eggs? I hear of people who thought they were gone and they re-appear with babies

 

[RioLindoAz]

if you free range them they might have gone broody and will come back with chicks and sometimes she brings company

 

[hypnofrogstevie]

Check all the areas that are small, wide, big, narrow ETC... They can squeeze themselves into those area's. Dont give up and keep looking

 

[farmgirl2477]

Keep watch during the day too. A broody hen will come out once a day to eat and such. If you see her, watch and see where she goes!

Good luck, I hope you find theym
Shannon

 

[hypnofrogstevie]

ohh I got an idea. If you have one of thos hav-a-art traps for stray cats or raccoons. Put some feed in there and see if you catch her. You may get an occasional squirrl or other chicken feed eaters but its worth it if you catch her.

I use the hav-a-harts to catch my cats since they dont like being caught outside by hand

 

[Gracefulspice]

Something could have spooked them pretty bad. That happen to 2 of mine. It took a keen eye to find them. I was basically standing right ontop of the one and never saw her. When I did catch eye of her it was a small patch of black feathers mixed in the grass..bearley visible. I thought she was hurt...but she was fine, just hiding. My other one same thing, she honkerd down deep into the grass and stayed motionless even when I picked her up...but she was fine too. They hide very well if scared, you have to look Very Very Close. I hope they are ok!!

 

[franfoley]

I live in Texas also , close to austin, and I had a neighbors dog catch mine, didn't lose a feather, but while searching the property looked through the fence and saw the dog with the leftovers of my chicken.

I hate say it but it could still be dogs, coyotes or some other predator.

 

[Ferrn]

Thanks for the nice replies!! We keep looking and looking mailny because we don't see any feathers or anything! Our gut is that something spooked the and they ran off. It is still so sad for my son.

What does broody mean?? (Maybe a stupid question)
We have only hens.

Jen

 

[hypnofrogstevie]

broody means she is laying on a clutch of eggs and not moving