well this sucks :( first loss

[ReillyJ]

Just got my 4 hens early this summer, they were rescues and were always free ranged and stuck close to home. Left for an hour and came back and 3 were huddled under the rhodies and i cannot find the 4th (Lucy, a Wyandotte) no feathers or anything on our property. Managed to get the 3 back into the coop but this sucks.

I cannot imagine though not letting them free range. We cannot afford fencing now. Should i keep them in their coop/run for a few days??

i know this obviously happens when one free ranges but i cannot imagine just leaving them in their coop/run from now on...

 

[BonRae67]

Sorry for your loss. I don't think they would be happy locked up after being free range. Just my opinion.

 

[ReillyJ]

Well good news, shined the flashlight down on the coop (it's dark and they ALWAYS head into their coop together before dark) and there she was, trying to get in. YAYYYYY

 

[BonRae67]

Oh that is awesome news.

 

[lynnehd]

The little stinker! That's great news.

 

[Naser]

 

[ReillyJ]

What is weird is that after i let them out of the coop, they're still acting weird/spooked, camping under the Rhodie bush. i don't see anything but i do hear a weird whistle that sounds maybe like a car alarm or something.

Clearly they're concerned about something, so strange that it carried in to the next day, they didn't even wander around like usual, just went straight for the bush......

 

[21hens-incharge]

I had a very close call with a hawk this past fall and mine were freaked out for about a week. I no longer let mine out of the run unless I can be right there with them. That means no quick trip to the bathroom or stepping in to start dinner or anything that takes me out of the yard for even a minute.
The hawk landed on my huge delaware hen. I had stepped into the workshop to work on the door for the new coop when I saw it bank around the apple tree.
I had only been in the shop long enough to measure and cut one board. (For me that is about 40 seconds)

Everything thinks chicken is tasty. Better locked in the run then injured to die painfully is my opinion.

 

[ReillyJ]

The only thing i can think of right now is...deer.

We've had a lot of them in the back yard and esp around the coop, in fact i was just out trying to coax the hens back in the coop instead of hiding under the bushes and a deer bounded away, they were down there right next to the coop eating tree limbs a couple days ago...

 

[Acornewell]

So glad you found your hen!