Saturday Night Scare

[MayberrySaint]

Went out to check on my chicks (8 weeks old) that were free-ranging in the backyard and couldn't find any of them...panic!!! Finally found a few in the corner of their coop and a few more hiding under the coop, but where were the rest? Eventually I found them hiding under a bush. Well after gathering them all up and putting them in the coop I counted and found that three were missing...2 cockerels and 1 Buff Orp pullet. I was just sick!!!! I figured something must have attacked them and got the three and that was why the remainder were all hiding. I got the flashlight and searched everywhere for the missing three. No sign of them anywhere...went to bed very upset at my negligence. Got up this morning and went outside hoping maybe they would be walking around looking for something to eat. No dice...nothing. Well, now I am wondering if I can let the others free range if I 'm not there to supervise. Suddenly, out from under the coop pops a cockerel. YAY!!!! Then my cat leads me to the Buff Orp pullet hiding in the weeds. While I'm gathering her up, I look through the brush and see the other cockerel on the wrong side of my chain link fence. Finally catch him and the flock is re-united. I am much relieved...

Andy

 

[mudhen]

They are worse than kids at making us grow grey hairs!!!

 

[Whirlwind]

Really glad you found them all. It does sound like something frightened them. Mine all scatter and hide like that from Hawks. Be careful and its good to have lots of things for them to hide under.

 

[Critter Crazy]

dont you just love it when they do that?? Last week we had pretty much the same thing happen. all the chicks had been ptting themselves to bed at night wonderfully. well one night, I had to run to the store, and got home later than usual, so first thing I did was check the coop, to make sure the babies had made it in in time, and out of 14 chicks, there was only 6 in the coop! Accckkkk......so I went around searching and couldnt find anything! So I run uin the house grab a flashlight, searching under the coop, in the barn...no birds..finally I decided to check on last spot, and sure enough the 8 missing chicks were all huddled together, on my Mulch pile, asleep! Darn Birds!!