Missing hen...

[slatetastic]

So I came home from my grandmothers funeral tonight which ran a little over and went to close the coop (my chickens alwaus go in at dusk on their own, only one time has a chicken chosen to fly to the roof instead of going in at night, but in her defense it was very very hot) but one of my girls wasn't there. I have 8 laying hens, however I've only been collecting 7 eggs for roughly 1 1/2 weeks. I've not been able to go find the eggs or even get a chance to see who wasn't leaving an egg between work and my grandma. Anyway, I've looked in the most obvious and most chicken visited areas on my property and I haven't found a body. She's most likely broody, right? Or should I keep looking for her?

 

[BYCforlife]

2 of my hens just went missing without a trace, they have been gone for 5 days now, I believe. Yours could have gone broody. If she did, she'll be in a very covered spot like a bush or under a pile of wood. Good luck finding her!

 

[slatetastic]

2 of my hens just went missing without a trace, they have been gone for 5 days now, I believe. Yours could have gone broody. If she did, she'll be in a very covered spot like a bush or under a pile of wood. Good luck finding her!

Oh gosh, I hope yours show back up. And if that's so, there's plenty of places she could have gone. I'm hoping she at least is in the barn somewhere. Its mostly unused now except for storage with no horses to fill it, so....fingers crossed. Thanks for replying quickly!

 

[TexasSam]

Check the best hidden places she probably is sitting on several eggs. Under A porch or coop or even under the house or shed maybe fallen tree thick bushes etc

 

[slatetastic]

If she is sitting and I can't find her, will she bring the babies back to the coop when they're ready?

 

[Molpet]

IF a predator doesn't get her, she will bring them back a few days or week or 2 after they hatch

 

[BYCforlife]

IF a predator doesn't get her, she will bring them back a few days or week or 2 after they hatch

That's what I am trying to convince myself about my 2 hens... but 2 broodys at exactly the same time is a little unlikely, I think...

 

[slatetastic]

IF a predator doesn't get her, she will bring them back a few days or week or 2 after they hatch

Ok, thanks. We have 50 something acres and we haven't found her in any of the usual or obvious places. I'm just going to have to trust her to get them back then.

That's what I am trying to convince myself about my 2 hens... but 2 broodys at exactly the same time is a little unlikely, I think...

Well, I'm seeing that broody begets broody, so maybe?

 

[Molpet]

yeah finding a broodie on 50 acres should be fun.. but they seem to be fairly close... like under the tarped hay LOL
Seems like if you don't want broodies, they all go at once.

 

[BYCforlife]

yeah finding a broodie on 50 acres should be fun.. but they seem to be fairly close... like under the tarped hay LOL
Seems like if you don't want broodies, they all go at once.

You have given me hope! I don't want broodies, so maybe mine have gone broody in the bush! Yay!