greytgrey
Chirping
This evening, three of our six 15-week-old chickens were on the back porch, I assumed begging for treats, as they do. I had cut up some tomatoes to take to them earlier in the night, but all six were making a bee-line to hide behind the storage shed for some reason, so I saved them.
The chickens on the porch were not interested in the food at all (which is unheard-of). They were like statues, staring in the general direction of their coop. I realized the other three were nowhere to be seen anywhere in the back yard. My husband and I looked all around, all of the places they sometimes manage to squeak out and not be able to find their way back in, etc. Nothing. Finally, I saw all three sitting under a pallet bed on our front porch (goodness knows how they got there). They, too, were SPOOKED.
My husband went to check the coop to make sure there wasn't anything in there. Nope. It was clear. It took us almost an hour to herd them out of their hiding places and back to the coop as the sun set, when they usually meander to roost one at a time, in a general pattern. Tonight, they kept darting for cover, when usually this time of day just before sunset is when they're at their most range-y, because it's cool out at last.
None of them seems to be hurt. They got into their roosts and were starting to settle down when we closed them up for the night. I had just gone out to see them an hour prior to this, and we didn't see anything (despite the fact that they're near enough to the house that we usually see any hawks or foxes that wander by).
Anyone else just had their flocks traumatized and not been able to put it together? I'm a little freaked out myself!
The chickens on the porch were not interested in the food at all (which is unheard-of). They were like statues, staring in the general direction of their coop. I realized the other three were nowhere to be seen anywhere in the back yard. My husband and I looked all around, all of the places they sometimes manage to squeak out and not be able to find their way back in, etc. Nothing. Finally, I saw all three sitting under a pallet bed on our front porch (goodness knows how they got there). They, too, were SPOOKED.
My husband went to check the coop to make sure there wasn't anything in there. Nope. It was clear. It took us almost an hour to herd them out of their hiding places and back to the coop as the sun set, when they usually meander to roost one at a time, in a general pattern. Tonight, they kept darting for cover, when usually this time of day just before sunset is when they're at their most range-y, because it's cool out at last.
None of them seems to be hurt. They got into their roosts and were starting to settle down when we closed them up for the night. I had just gone out to see them an hour prior to this, and we didn't see anything (despite the fact that they're near enough to the house that we usually see any hawks or foxes that wander by).
Anyone else just had their flocks traumatized and not been able to put it together? I'm a little freaked out myself!
Sounds like some potential predator spooked them. Could be cat, bird etc. We have a small airport nearby, just for small private planes..... years ago my girls acted similar and I sat on the back porch wondering what spooked them. Only thing I saw was a little plane heading in. Must have looked like some crazy bird to the girls....
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