Over half of my flock is missing!

[SweetOphelia]

when I am home, my 6 chickens free range during the day. They don’t have a fence and can go wherever they want, but they never go far. I leave the coop door open so they have access to food and water. I check on them pretty regularly. I went out to look for them this afternoon and 4 of them are missing. I can’t find them anywhere and the other two are just sitting in some bushes. I have also checked my neighbors yards even though their yards are not very close to mine. Any ideas on where to find them or why they could have left?

 

[sourland]

I would be worried that your flock has experienced a predator attack. Hopefully your birds will return this evening. I would lock the remaining birds in their coop/pen once they return and then try to figure out what is happening.

 

[MontanaChickDoc]

Agree with predator. I had a fox picking off one or more chickens every day. It took me a few days to figure it out because my flock is much larger and a lot of them look similar, but I finally caught her in mid snatch. Lost 12 in total before I stopped letting them free range.

 

[swampfox440]

Where do they go every day ? dogs, fox , coyote, carry them off !

 

[SweetOphelia]

I would be worried that your flock has experienced a predator attack. Hopefully your birds will return this evening. I would lock the remaining birds in their coop/pen once they return and then try to figure out what is happening.

Thank you so much everyone for your help! They were locked in my neighbors garage!

 

[Weeg]

Thank you so much everyone for your help! They were locked in my neighbors garage!

Why were they in the neighbors garage? Glad you found them!

 

[JoePa]

I know that many of you let your chickens free range - and I know that the chickens like to do that - but let me tell you something - it causes a lot of problems - I give my chickens enough room in their coop and run so they don't need to be roaming all over the place - I look at this practice like a small child wanting to go out in the street to play - sure would be fun but -

 

[sourland]

Thank you so much everyone for your help! They were locked in my neighbors garage!

Now, that's a great update.

 

[Weeg]

I know that many of you let your chickens free range - and I know that the chickens like to do that - but let me tell you something - it causes a lot of problems - I give my chickens enough room in their coop and run so they don't need to be roaming all over the place - I look at this practice like a small child wanting to go out in the street to play - sure would be fun but -

I like to free range my hens so they can go out in the grass and eat all the nutritious bugs and get there willy nellies out.

 

[Sally PB]

I would love for my flock to free range. But I want them to be safe even more. Hawks, eagles, raccoons, possible coyote, possums, dogs... we have it all.

It'll take a whole day, but we designed the coop to be moveable. In a few weeks, we will dismantle the run, move the coop, and reassemble. Then they will have a fresh place to explore until spring. We can only realistically move it twice a year, and put it in two locations. I take it as part of my responsibility to make their surroundings enjoyable and entertaining to them. Part of being a chicken mom.

OP, I am very glad your chickens are safe! A happy ending to the story.