- May 3, 2010
- 4
- 1
- 9
I have to laugh because it's after 11pm and I'm up researching chickens!!! LOL
We have had our Buff Orps for just about a year now and about 2 months ago one of our chickens disappeared. We started with 9 hens last year and were down to 4... then 3... maybe 4. I knew I had seen one of them at my neighbors house but wasn't sure if I was seeing them at different times. Finally the other day I confirmed with my neighbor that our chicken was in fact living at their house in the woods between our houses. We just assumed one of their many cats or 2 dogs had made a meal out of her considering that is what happened to the other ones.
Today I am sitting outside on the front porch and see this chicken walking up (ours are free range) and it was acting all crazy... puffed up and walking around puffed up like a male turkey. I noticed it and sat and watched it for a few minutes. I thought to myself that it was acting awfully weird!!!
The next thing I know.... the THREE other chickens walk up to it.... So my pack of FOUR is back!!!!!
Immediately I went inside and got some bread and started feeding them. I gathered them all back up and put them in the coop with the door closed. Our chickens are very tame and will let us pick them up and carry them around.
My questions are... WHY?? Why did this hen leave us?? Will it stay this time?? How long should I keep them cooped up?? And also I noticed that the "cone"---red thing on it's head isn't as big nor bright red as the other three hens. It almost looks pre-mature or something. The feathers on it's tail are almost like a brownish color whereas the other three hens have beautiful fluffy golden feathers. It is almost noticibly smaller and weighs less even though they are the same age.
This is SO puzzling to me!!
We have had our Buff Orps for just about a year now and about 2 months ago one of our chickens disappeared. We started with 9 hens last year and were down to 4... then 3... maybe 4. I knew I had seen one of them at my neighbors house but wasn't sure if I was seeing them at different times. Finally the other day I confirmed with my neighbor that our chicken was in fact living at their house in the woods between our houses. We just assumed one of their many cats or 2 dogs had made a meal out of her considering that is what happened to the other ones.
Today I am sitting outside on the front porch and see this chicken walking up (ours are free range) and it was acting all crazy... puffed up and walking around puffed up like a male turkey. I noticed it and sat and watched it for a few minutes. I thought to myself that it was acting awfully weird!!!
The next thing I know.... the THREE other chickens walk up to it.... So my pack of FOUR is back!!!!!
My questions are... WHY?? Why did this hen leave us?? Will it stay this time?? How long should I keep them cooped up?? And also I noticed that the "cone"---red thing on it's head isn't as big nor bright red as the other three hens. It almost looks pre-mature or something. The feathers on it's tail are almost like a brownish color whereas the other three hens have beautiful fluffy golden feathers. It is almost noticibly smaller and weighs less even though they are the same age.
This is SO puzzling to me!!
