We've lost a laying henny penny. Where could she be?

[counterWULF]

She may have had a non-fatal encounter and is hiding and staying quiet.
Hopefully you figure out what happened, good or bad, just for the closure.

Thank you. Our fingers are crossed that she'll magically reappear one day or even today. I'm going to sit out there with them and keep an eye out for her. I'll keep everyone updated.

 

[red horse ranch]

I understand how you feel about your dogs. I think your best option is to have a run or small fenced in area attached to your coop where the chickens would stay confined. In some situations free ranging just isn't a good option.
I do hope you find your hen. One way or another.... Good luck!

 

[counterWULF]

Did you look high? I've had a few go missing, I turned the yard upside down, thought they were lost for good only to find them sky high in a tree .

My wife has been asking her chicken owning friends on Facebook and they mentioned this last night. Someone had a missing rooster and they found him up in a tree. So yes, we've searched high and low all night and this morning. I don't want to think she's gone, but I'm thinking she's gone. With all of the predators out here at night and day, and the fact that we don't even hear her anywhere, leads me to believe she might be gone for good. We'll remain optimistic yet realistic too. This just baffles me. Where did she go so we can keep other chickens from going there. If she went under the shed, she should easily be able to just come back out. I was able to fit under there last night, so it's not like it's too tight to return.

 

[Melky]

Sorry for your loss

 

[counterWULF]

I would look calling to her in nearby woods or brush with favorite treat shaking in a cup. Mine occasionally will wander off into woods near my property but come back when I call them. Now I am out with them all the time to keep them from wandering off especially since they are new layers. Mine have only done this couple times and never overnight. She also could be hoarding a clutch somewhere. Look all along your property perimeter. Mine stay in coop/fenced run until laying for the day is over so they don’t wander off and lay eggs anywhere else.

We will try the treat shaking today. We've been all along the perimeter of our yard looking for her. This flock will roam the forest around our perimeter to keep safe from overhead birds of prey. So we were out there with flashlights last night looking high and low. Nothing. No sign of her. There has to be some connection with her going under the shed multiple times and then disappearing. Like I mentioned, none of the chicks every went under this shed until she did yesterday, and she was the only one to go. She went in and out multiple times. I figured it was harmless and might be a new place for them to find bugs/food (while under shelter from birds of prey) as long as they could enter and return without harm. I am not aware of any chicken-killing predators living under the shed, so I didn't think this would become a problem. Well, now it's a problem.

 

[counterWULF]

Mine stay in coop/fenced run until laying for the day is over so they don’t wander off and lay eggs anywhere else.

I forgot to respond to this. I've noticed our hens lay all throughout the day. If I kept them cooped up until they are done laying, they'd never get to free range. We've had them lay after dark in the evening. I have their coop lighted inside to promote egg-laying in the darker/colder winter, as suggested by many books and websites. This is all new to us as we are still learning. Thanks for offering some guidance. I hope we can find her alive and well soon.

 

[counterWULF]

I understand how you feel about your dogs. I think your best option is to have a run or small fenced in area attached to your coop where the chickens would stay confined. In some situations free ranging just isn't a good option.
I do hope you find your hen. One way or another.... Good luck!

Thanks! We'll find her dead or alive. Maybe we won't find her at all if her body is under the house. The shed attaches to the house. Who knows where she went. Either she returns or we buy another, and then work to ensure none of the others follow in her footsteps. We are renting on 61 acres. I'd hate for them to be confined to a small run when they have all of this land to roam. As we gain more experience raising chickens, we'll learn the do's/don'ts of having chickens on this land. I knew predators posed a problem. I never thought chickens would get lost under a shed and possibly killed. I'm not aware of any critter living under there that might kill a chicken. Must be a brave critter as my dogs have been under that shed and would've found it and killed it first.

 

[counterWULF]

Sorry for your loss

There might not be "loss" yet! LOST, not loss...or at least we hope!

 

[aart]

She went in and out multiple times.

This sounds like broody behavior to me.

If I kept them cooped up until they are done laying, they'd never get to free range.

Well, you could keep them confined to coop and run 24/7 for a week or so....this will 'home' them to using in the coop nests, then after that you range them as much as you want as the habit of laying in coop nests will stick for a good long while.

 

[Mrs. K]

do not buy a single chick, very difficult integration.

I don't think she is under the shed, I think a predator has gotten her, often times with coyotes, the bird just disappears.

Mrs K