out past curfew....

[DirtCreature]

so my barred rock has been deciding to stay out past cufew, last night was the first night she didnt get to spend in the coop with the other girls cause she didnt come back. the last 3 days in a row she has been going for a "walk" and is gone for hours. like 5-6. i cant find her or find out where she gos but she isnt anywhere close by. last night i had to lock up the other girls for them to not get eaten or harmed and was sad that she might not come back. SO my question is, should i put her in chicken time out....? if so for how long? and is it ok if its just her "thing" to not come home at night...? we have wolves around here too.

(p.s. she came back this morning and was just fine)

Thanks for you input,
Melissa

 

[Capvin]

That would give me some real concern if one of my chicks was out after dark. She is obviously roosting somewhere and I would keep her in the run for a few days and then see what happens after that when you do let her out. That could cure the problem

 

[Impress]

Agreed, the only one I ever had do that to me had been sneaking her eggs into a briar patch and was sleeping on them at night, I looked for her for 3 weeks before I found her, in plain site, but it is SO hard to see them when they are huddled down hiding on a nest. 16 eggs in that nest, the hussie. I put her in the coop and then went on a stomping spree to make it look like a predator had found the nest, and the next day she checked it out, was horrified, and has been a good girl since.

 

[suki'smom]

Yep, lock her butt up for a while. Maybe she should go in an attached run after lockdown to send the message home since there will be nowhere else to sleep except the coop.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

It happens to me from time to time. Most of the time they come back, sometimes they're not so lucky.
I had a roo stay away for 2 days recently.
Last night a hen didn't make it into the coop and we had a big storm. She showed up this morning all wet.

 

[DirtCreature]

thank you for your input, how long should she be on chicken time out? we dont have a run here all our chickens are free range, and coop at night. i have a XL dog crate with food water and orchard grass for a bed with a branch to roost. would that be ok?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

If they're in a cage for a couple days they really don't need a roost.
She may have a nest in the woods.
A couple days should be ok.
If not, longer next time.

 

[openheartnp]

OY! I have a hen that likes to go off by herself, too. Makes me nuts and has driven my boys to tears thinking she's been eaten. Many hours wasted looking for her. Then she saunters back like she was never gone. She's the bottom of the pecking order, I think that has a lot to do with it. We have been trying to keep an eye on her, I tell my boys to do frequent head counts which helps. But, one of these days your chickies luck may run out. Is there any way to put up fencing, especially if she tends to go off in one direction? Putting it near bushes and trees will prevent her from getting up a running leap to get over it. Can you follow her? She what she thinks is soooo interesting over yonder? Good luck!!!

 

[DirtCreature]

thank you so much everyone

 

[Chickenaddict]

I betcha she is hiding a nest somewhere and is getting ready to take a 21 day vacation to hatch them.... That would explain being gone for hours like that without coming back home to eat during the day....