Well I've got one hen here now, and I am waiting to hear from some people who took part of her flock. Either she will be re-homed with me or someone - you? - or her flock found. So limbo status now. And your situation there?
Story - I went back to that farm to check on the chickens Wednesday, to give them food and water before the storm, and found that they all appeared to be gone. I talked to the owner, he said they had been taken by two groups of people that came at different times, but he thought there were one or two left. So the flock has been split up, which is really unfortunate. They will miss each other!
I did see fresh chicken tracks in the snow, so I spent the rest of the afternoon searching and eventually nabbing one poor lone hen in a woodshed / unheated storage addition to the owner's house that had a hole in the wall access I saw her go into. It helped to have plastic snow fencing still in the car to block two areas in there off, also it was very dark in there, and I learned how to get the flashlight on my cell phone up fast! Still, catching her was very stressful on her, she sounded like she expected to die (she did expect that I'm sure) but she calmed a lot after I had her gently tucked under my arm and her feet firmly held.
I put her in a cat carrier I had with me with food & water hung on the door. Sat with her awhile & talked softly and encouraged her to eat. She eventually ate and drank like crazy - the owner had not been feeding them at all since the flock was taken, but I saw there is a stream that goes through the property. He used to give them some bird seed sometimes (crappy food for chickens but better than nothing) and that's why we saw tracks near his back door, she was checking on any food there.
Then I went back and looked for any more chickens. I didn't find any. I inspected the tracks again, and for the most part it could be that only one chicken made them. Sat again with her before covering the front of the carrier with my coat and driving. I think she fell asleep, as I checked on her halfway home, she looked up at me, but her head had been down and to the side. To not have her all stressed again I left her for the night in the car in our barn/garage with the windows cracked. Now she is inside the house in the chicks' old large brooder, doing well.
The owner gave me a lead on how one of the people who took some of the flock could be found and I've been following up on that. Reuniting with at least some of her flock would be best (if the people are caring). Next best would be somebody, maybe me, keeping her but with one other hen from her former flock for a buddy. Next best would be integration as a lone new hen into an existing flock, again maybe me? I do have room for one more, possibly two more. She is quite a gentle hen, and I am getting attached to her.
