Okay, sometimes you just need a little help from your neighbors (who are great people btw).
I had sadly lost my great-grandma Cream Legbar recently (she was 9 and has been instrumental in developing my olive egger flock), and that night on lock up I knew I'd be down a bird. I counted....18. Uhm, I thought it should have been 19, because, well 20 (I thought) minus one now deceased bird leaves 19, right. Nope 18.
I look and look. For the last week and half I've looked and looked in the bushes, everywhere, even checking that table by the bbq. I'm SURE I was counting 20 at lock up before Grandma Cream passed (I'm not very creative with my names). Nope 18.
I had just convinced myself I can't count and there should be 18 when....my neighbor calls and leaves message on my machine. I need to come over and talk with him tonight asap as he will be removing the apple tree on our fence line tomorrow.
So, tonight I walk over to the fence as he, as usual, was working in his yard. He tells me, "You do know you have a hen in the brambles? She's been there about a week and a half. I saw a pile of eggs about a week ago, and she's been sitting a few days after that. I won't disturb her tomorrow when I cut the tree, but it will be noisy for her."
There is NO way to get to the hen. She is buried so deeply on my side the only way to see her is from the neighbor's side. My neighbor offers to try to squeeze between the wire fence to see if he can grab the eggs, but I tell him not to bother. I doubt she will budge, and if she's this dedicated, then let her try.
I'm pretty sure this is my bbq table hen again, only with a niftier location this time.
I don't need any more chicks (after hatching 6 already), but the only thing I'm mad about is she had me convinced I had 18 birds. I see 18. Yep. 18.
Sneaky girl. I'll let you know if she does better on this try. The neighbor says she is on and off the nest, but maybe she'll settle better now that's she not on the table.
LofMc
