My favorite hen, MIA! - UPDATE! YOU'LL NEVER BELIEVE IT!

[sarahsark]

My favorite, my fat little Buff Orp, is GONE!!

I can't find my little Buttercup ANYWHERE!! I've looked all over... We have a Great Pyr named Aslan who watches over them. He is 11 months old and is still honing his guarding abilities.... He is always back there with them, keeping the hawks away.... well, he had to be brought in for a bath today and it took a while. I wanted to bathe him and groom him very well because spring is here and he'll soon blow his coat, but he's not very happy about bathing so it took a while to coax his large butt into the tub, then we found a tick hidden in there and you know how that goes....

I don't know if some darn critter out there took the opportunity while Aslan was off guard duty for a half hour or so, or what! My Wyandotte, Spot, and my RIR Little Red (see how creative I am with names!

) were in the coop resting comfortably just where we had left them all, 30 minutes or so before. The coop is located in the dog "pen" where Aslan likes to lay at night to give them extra protection. It has chicken wiring across the top for "netting".

There are no signs of Miss Buttercup anywhere.

I've called and called. Normally all three come running up to me immediately, looking for treats, and only Spot and Little Red came running. I've looked around for her across 3 and a half acres or so (I only have 5) and nothing, so we decided to turn back, hoping she'd be there when we got closer to the house but no, she wasn't. There aren't any feathers or blood or any signs of a predator, either, but still.

Do you guys think something could have taken Buttercup from our yard in a 30 minute time frame, while Aslan and I were busy?

 

[max101]

I really hope your chicken is safe and sound.
It does seem strange their is no feathers or blood to be found????.
Is their another dog in your vicinity anywhere.
Dogs are known to take there food home.
If the other chickens arent spooked at all it seems more of a puzzle.
She may have found a nest of worms and happily munching out. lol
Best of luck

 

[sarahsark]

Quote:
Thank you kindly.

Yes it is strange indeed... the others aren't spooked at all. It's like Buttercup just disappeared into thin air!

Edited to say... yes, there are other dogs around but I didn't see any evidence of any around... no paw prints except for Aslan's, which are unmistakable because his paws are as large or slightly larger than my own hands.

 

[chickenlover220]

OMG!So SAD!

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

I'm so sorry!! With no sign of a struggle, it sounds more like she may have wandered off somewhere, like max101 said, or...I'm sorry to suggest it, but may have been carried off my something very large...do you have eagles?? I had one try to take one of my dogs last year, but luckily I built the dog yard a little too small to accomodate its wing span...
Good luck, I hope you find her!!!

 

[Kittymomma]

Ok, this might be a long shot but give that she's an Orpington do you think that there is any chance she's got a nest stashed some place and has decided to go broody? I'm only wondering because in my experience if there has been any kind of predator event the whole flock stays edgy for quite sometime. I had a BR do this last year, she just vanished, but two days later I saw her out the window with the rest of the girls (they free range) she was gone again by the time I got outside and it was another two days before I spotted her again and could follow her back to her nest of unfertile eggs.

 

[SilverPhoenix]

Oh no--poor Buttercup! Don't assume the worst quite yet, though--it could be she's brooding some eggs, found something tasty, or something else. I'll be hoping she makes it home safely.

My sebright disappeared a few weeks ago, and she was back pecking around the coop the next morning. She had probably just decided to roost in a tree for no apparent reason.

Good luck, and don't lose hope yet!

 

[FrizzlesRule]

Could she be hiding a bunch of eggs getting ready to set? I had an Araucana hen disappear one day, only to find her the next day setting on 16 eggs.

I hope you find her.

 

[sarahsark]

UPDATE!!!

We found Buttercup........... in the car!!!

I finally gave up searching and in tears, I had to get on about my day which included running to the store for more diapers. My 3-year-old wanted to go with me.

My husband had left the car windows down because our air conditioning isn't working quite right and it's been warmer here.

Well... guess who was sitting there in my son's toddler seat?!

Miss Buttercup!!

She was napping quietly and peacefully on an egg!

Thank you guys for your concern... Boy I wish I had thought to grab my camera but I was just too darn happy and excited! It's wonderful. I am so very, very, VERY glad that she's ok.

Again thank ya'll. False alarm, thank goodness!!

 

[chickenwhisperer123]

That is a great ending!!