Missing Hen?

[bluhmmers]

I have 3 hens whom are 7 months old, free range, put themselves to bed at night and are great layers. A couple weeks ago I had one Rhode Is. red go missing. I figured it was picked off by some other animal as we do live in the woods and we searched our property high and low for her. After about 7-10 days she magically appeared out of no where! Which was great! But the same day, disappeared again? My other hens will literally follow you around the yard if you are outside and are begging for food any chance they can. So I am very confused as to where my other hen could be? Any suggestions?

 

[redsoxs]

She may be broody - sitting on a clutch of eggs somewhere. Look in every dark, secluded, out of the way nook and cranny for her! Probably won't be in open country but in a hollow, under or against something. Be good to find her before a hungry varmint does! Keep us posted!

 

[chickens really]

RIR are not know to go broody very often...At least no here....Possibly found a better place to be if being pecked on....

Good luck...

 

[bluhmmers]

Are they known to be gone for a week at a time? Our neighbors have chickens too but there is a chain link fence between us... wondering if she found a way over there?

 

[chickens really]

Now the missing pieces to the puzzle are possibly found....Yes..Go look for her.I can almost bet money you will find your hen next door...

Let us know how that works out.....

Cheers!

 

[bobbi-j]

It's possible that she may be at the neighbor's. It wouldn't hurt to ask them if a stray chicken showed up recently. It's also possible that she may be broody. (This would be my guess) Keep an eye out for her, and if she shows up again, watch and follow her from a distance to see where she goes. Broodies are secretive so that predators don't follow them to their nests. If she hasn't been snagged by a predator, she may show up again in a week or so. My most recent broody insisted on sitting on an empty nest (I kept taking her eggs and removing her from the nest) and finally gave up after 3 weeks. In my experience, chickens don't leave the flock because they're being picked on. They are flock animals and generally prefer to remain with the flock, even if they remain on the outskirts when free ranging.