Runaway Chick!

[Kalobis]

Sending this from the woods outside my house. I have 13 x 6 week olds just adjusting to their coop. We let them out to sun in the run after their third day locked in. One jumped out the run door when my son was coming in.

Took off like a bullet. I have 12 accounted for, and one in the wind. Any suggestions on how to lure it back? Or, how to look? Or do I just wait and hope it comes home / gets eaten.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Pretty impossible to chase down chicks. Hopefully the others will lure it back by cheeping at it as it will instinctively want to stay with the others.

 

[Coops Dad]

It should be back before dusk; they're very social animals and it'll want to bed down with its broodermates.

 

[SourRoses]

We once had a ninja chick run under the big back porch where people couldn't fit. Ran around under there constantly out of reach. Finally, we got a bait chick in a chick proof cage (hw cloth). Between that cage and the porch we used hardware cloth to make a 3 sided trap. And set a big section of cardboard close by ready to use. When the ninja chick came out to join the bait chick, we whipped the carboard down into place on the porch side trapping her so we could finally lean in and catch her. No more gymnastics tryouts for her!

 

[Ridgerunner]

The best way to look for it is to listen. If it is by itself it should start giving that lonely peep before long. Catching them can be really hard. If you can get it into the open you might be able to chase it down but be ready to run. A fishing net could be valuable.

I'd think your best bet is to get it back near the others and wait for dark. When it settles down to sleep you can usually catch them. I'd expect it to try to sleep right next to the run/coop once it sees the other chicks.

 

[Kalobis]

Thanks gang! I couldn’t find it or hear it, but it will be dusk shortly. I’ll keep an eye / ear out for it until it’s too dark.

I took the loudest chicken I had tucked under my arm hoping it would draw the other one out, holding my kids neon green butterfly net in my other hand. Quite a sight!

 

[Kalobis]

Update: our neighbours two houses down just spotted it. Mealworms, patience, and my trusty butterfly net brought the chicken home.

I had written it off when I hadn’t gotten it back by the second night. But, it lasted three full nights alone in the bush, impressive!

 

[SourRoses]

Wow! I wonder what she's been eating?

Woo Hoo that she made it home!

 

[KyCoop]

We were working in our backyard one day and my husband yelled over "what kind of bird is this ?" I looked up and saw a chick running through the yard. I said "it's a chicken catch it!" We didn't have chicks so I didn't know were it came from. We tried chasing her but then i just let my girls out and it came to mingle with them and we caught her. After walking the neighborhood in my muck boots carrying the sleeping chick I found the owner was across the street from me. He said she had been missing for 4 days and had written her off. This chick didn't make it to my yard on its own. I think it was carried. But she made it home safe.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Update: our neighbours two houses down just spotted it. Mealworms, patience, and my trusty butterfly net brought the chicken home.

I had written it off when I hadn’t gotten it back by the second night. But, it lasted three full nights alone in the bush, impressive!

Yay for a happy ending! It's amazing how resilient they can be if forced to by circumstances.