Wandering Chicken Gone Overnight...

[MegChicken]

We have been gone for a few weeks (neighbors watching chooks). Got back Tuesday a.m. Early afternoon realized one chicken was missing. She showed up later that afternoon. She did this for a couple days then Thursday never came home. Still gone this a.m. I've looked for her, not sure if she is in the brush sitting on a nest or been eaten. Is there any way to coax a broody hen off her nest?? Not sure what to do other than wait. Brush is full of poison ivy or I'd wade around looking for her. Thank you!

 

[Sethc]

I would assume that your chicken didn't go very far into the brush so if she was killed you would more than likely see feathers not very far into the brush or even just out of the brush you would probably know if it was killed. For getting her off her nest I'm not quite sure you could try putting food or a favorite treat out near the brush and when she gets off her nest she might come out of the brush and you can catch her and keep her in a pen for a few days until she stops trying to get to her nest. Hopefully this helped some.

 

[imzadi]

How old is she? I've heard (not experienced personally) that broody girls can disapear and come back a few weeks later with babies in tow. Maybe this is what's up?

 

[MegChicken]

Thank you both! My daughter and I saw her outside this afternoon so we hung out until she went back to her nest. It was right in our backyard, in my daylilies. LOL! I would have never seen her in there she was so quiet and calm. Thanks for the advice though, most appreciated. She is a year old and she's gone broody once before, but it was in the coop. I wonder if she changed locations because I took her off her nest?