*Updated* Golden Campine gone missing - broody or eaten? She is found!

[Deltabwa]

I have 2 golden Campines that I bought in April. Neither of them ever sat in the nest box. And yet I never found any white eggs. I kept saying that one of these days I will find a massive clutch of eggs somewhere. Well, 2 months ago my husband found some. I should have left the spot but I covered it and hoped they would go in nest box. Never did. They bust have found another spot. Because I haven't had/seen/found a white egg since. Now one of them is gone. Has been gone for about 4 days. We live on a ranch, so it's possible she was taken/eaten but she is never alone and if something ate her, it sure would have come back to get some more wouldn't it? But I was under the impression that Campines were not a broody breed. But then again, I heard Ameraucana's don't either and both of mine went broody this summer and hatched and raised a bunch of eggs and chicks. One of them would go broody every week. I had a heck of a time breaking her.

About 2 weeks ago she (the Campine) was missing one night and when I let the rest out in the morning, she magically appeared and was drinking up a storm. So I'm wondering if maybe she has a big clutch somewhere and will come around in a couple more weeks with a bunch of babies. But it is cold and going to get even colder. I sure wish I could find the spot, if there is one. I guess I will find out in a few weeks

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Sounds like your odds are equal for broody and eaten. I have lost single birds, so that's not unusual. It would be unusual for a hen to go broody this time of year. I'm really no help am I?

They can be really sneaky about hiding nests. I have found them in plain sight but some reason I couldn't see them for weeks. Hopefully she returns. Usually they get off the nest once a day, either early morning or before dusk. You could get up early and watch your flock to see if she shows up, than maybe you could follow her from afar to find the nest, if she shows up.

 

[Deltabwa]

It would be unusual for a hen to go broody this time of year.... Usually they get off the nest once a day, either early morning or before dusk. You could get up early and watch your flock to see if she shows up, than maybe you could follow her from afar to find the nest, if she shows up.[/QUOTE]

I thought so too! Especially since my, never-ending broody Amer. Isn't broody now lol

And yup, was hoping for that, keep looking and will continue to look. Is hate to lose her but I don't want a bunch of chicks right now lol. But if I could find her, I'd bring her in to our broody coop and out of the cold.

Question: when they run off to brood, do they do it high up or low to the ground, or both? Just wondering if I can narrow a search. There are lots of hidy holes in these barns but sure don't want the chicks dropping 8-10 feet down when the hatch... if that is the situation of course but is good knowledge for future use

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Chickens almost always brood inside somewhere. Height doesn't always matter unfortunately. So check buildings thoroughly, high and low, they can be sneaky.

 

[Deltabwa]

That's what I was afraid of. thanks

 

[Deltabwa]

Found her!!!!! After an extensive scavenger hunt, one where i found 2 cracked eggs but no hen, my husband found her, opposite of where i found the eggs, in the barn, way in the back, behind the sheeps pellet food bin. I couldn't see back as far as she was cuz i didn't have my phone for a flashlight. She was sitting on 12 eggs, with several more broken around her and under the bin, and she smelled horrendous. After candling, there are 4 with veins, 2 cracked and 6 just yolks but I decided to check again in a couple days. I brought her into the main coop, set up the dog crate with a sheet over top to keep it a little darker and she went to town eating. Seemed like she hadn't done either in a long time because as she tried swallowing, you could tell it was getting stuck cuz she kept stretching her neck, so I forced her to water. She stopped eating to shake and big pieces of egg shell flew out lol. That tells you how bad she smelled. I didn't expect her to take to the eggs again since everything was different but I'd rather take the chance than not. So, here she is, 33 weeks old and determined to be a mother regardless of the month lol.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

That's great news. She does sound very determined. I know that smell.

 

[Deltabwa]

We shall see what we end up with.

 

[aart]

OyVey!!
Glad you found her alive!

I wonder if she was coming off to eat/drink at all...
....or just snacking on the eggs under her(eeewww)....
...or if maybe a rodent was taking eggs???
Wonder's if she broke the eggs and they rotted, or they were rotten and 'exploded'?
All the speculation of insatiable curiosity.

Hopefully she will come off nest long enough to eat and drink daily now that she's safe....I assume she has food and water in her little broody cage.

Best of cLuck!!...keep us updated here.

 

[Deltabwa]

I Agree with all of the questions you asked! My husband thought she was eating the ones around her and she probably was if they cracked, how can you resist Lol. Dont think it was a rodent because earlier i found 2 eggs cracked, straight down from her about 10 feet but was opposite bins. I'm sure if it was rodents, they'd have eaten them. And yup, food and water and after a couple days of making that her home, I'll open it up to let her out once or twice a day. I posted pics of the 4 good eggs in the hatching thread, trying to decide if I want to wait to toss or toss the clear yolk ones now. If it's 7 day embryos, I don't want to wait since we already had issues, if it's 4 or 5, I will wait.