Errant Chicken Mystery

[Chants Cottage]

I wonder if anyone might shed some light on what might be going on with one of my chickens... I have four Light Sussex chickens and a Buff Orpington Cockerel. They are locked in a shed at night but during the day they go wherever they flipping well want. The other night one of the chickens went missing shortly before shutting up time. I did a fairly comprehensive search for her but couldn't find her anywhere. Eventually I had to give up and shut the others up. I did go back a couple of times to see if she was hanging around outside, but there was no sign. I feared the worst... But the next day after I'd let the others out and come back from the school run there she was with the others. She offered no explanation for her absence, and I let it go. But now she's gone missing again... through the day. I have to say I can't really tell them apart that well but they are all friendly and curious and seem healthy and usually hang out together with their bloke happily enough. I've never noticed any bullying at all. They are quite young and just started laying before Christmas. On Christmas day I got 4 eggs and subsequently I could usually expect 4 eggs a day. This has dropped back to three, but this coincided (or not?) with me putting some new nesting boxes in and moving out the big bucket which they had been using (it was broken and a bit difficult to clean).

Any ideas gratefully received... Cheers,

Sarah

[bonniethomas06]

I saw this on your blog Sarah - what a mystery.

If she is broody, she may have made a nest somewhere and be sitting on eggs...athoguh I can't think why at this time of year?

You need a chickycam. We had one for the cat once - it clipped on the collar, and took photos at certain intervalls during the day, so we could see where she had been.

[oldjerry]

She's broody ,search and youl find a nest somewhere(it's a strange time of year,but that's because these are young ones that were bred to come into lay the first winter.)

When you find the nest,scoop up all the matierial put it and her and the eggs carefully in an upturned tea chest with a secure tiny run outside,within another fox\dog proof run,near your house and wait 3or 4 weeks.Let's hope the cockerels up to scratch!!

BW

[Chants Cottage]

Ooh, well I did wonder, but she seems to come back for long periods of time and I wasn't sure if this was normal broody behaviour. If this is the case is there a danger the eggs could have frozen? It's been absolutely flippety freezing around here recently. (And everywhere else, I know...) Oh well, I'd better have a trog round. The camera is not a bad idea... If I can't find where she's been hanging out I may have to invest... May have to invest anyway. I do wonder where they go all day, cats and chickens alike. Actually come to think of it I should put some on my kids at school. They never tell me what they've been up to. I will keep you posted (on the chicken, that is). Cheers!

[oldjerry]

I expect she's coming back to feed.Bear in mind too that chickens,especially young ones,can be a tad thick!You wont have to watch her for too long to find where she's going,but it occurs to me,that if you're getting nowhere,Keep them ALL in and she will create a new nest,she can sit on some of the others eggs as with a ratio of 4:1 they should all be fertile.Any how,increased flock\some birds to sell\eat could be in the offing,good stuff.

[Chants Cottage]

I'll see if I can follow her. How long would I need to keep them all in for before she made a nest? I'm certainly up for the idea of chicky wickies. Ta muchly!

[bill1953]

I saw this on your blog Sarah - what a mystery.

If she is broody, she may have made a nest somewhere and be sitting on eggs...athoguh I can't think why at this time of year?

You need a chickycam. We had one for the cat once - it clipped on the collar, and took photos at certain intervalls during the day, so we could see where she had been.

Where can I get a cat cam?

[Millymollymandy]

I'll see if I can follow her. How long would I need to keep them all in for before she made a nest? I'm certainly up for the idea of chicky wickies. Ta muchly!

Immediately! If she is really broody you would know it in her demeanour, she won't just snap out of it when she decides to come home for some grub. She'd be grumpy and fluffed up and growly/shrieky and generally just a big (but quite amusing) pain in the bum constantly!

[bonniethomas06]

I saw this on your blog Sarah - what a mystery.

If she is broody, she may have made a nest somewhere and be sitting on eggs...athoguh I can't think why at this time of year?

You need a chickycam. We had one for the cat once - it clipped on the collar, and took photos at certain intervalls during the day, so we could see where she had been.

Where can I get a cat cam?

http://www.amazon.com/Uncle-Milton-Pets ... 719&sr=8-2 Works for cats, dogs, husbands - sure you could contrive a collar out of something for chickens too.

I'll see if I can follow her. How long would I need to keep them all in for before she made a nest? I'm certainly up for the idea of chicky wickies. Ta muchly!

Immediately! If she is really broody you would know it in her demeanour, she won't just snap out of it when she decides to come home for some grub. She'd be grumpy and fluffed up and growly/shrieky and generally just a big (but quite amusing) pain in the bum constantly!

Yep and if you try to pick her up she will probably take your hand off - when mine are broody, they pick up bits of straw and carry them on their backs.

[bill1953]

@bonniethomas06
Thanks for that.My ex was always saying we should put a cam on him. Didn't think you could get a purpose made one! I get reports from neighbours about his daily ramblings but now I will know for myself!

[oldjerry]

What I think I meant was,if you shut them in then the broody will probably make her nest in one of the next boxes where they lay,then you can move her to a little run of her own.(as Bonnie suggests you might want to wear some gloves,but they dont usually draw blood!)

[Pumpkin&Piglet]

I don't have chickens at the moment but I do hope to eventually and my parents had some when I lived at home.

This is interesting and useful to know!!

[Chants Cottage]

Hmm thanks for your advice everybody but after a day or two of keeping my beady eye on them I suspect she's not broody. They've all been around pretty much of the day, (one of them snuck off for an hour or so) and none of them are being in the least bit grumpy. Only got two eggs though today so I do wonder if one of them has taken to laying somewhere else. This place is so flipping well over grown I'll be hard pushed to discover the location though... Maybe I'l have to keep them in for a bit and see if I get the missing egg back!!

[oldjerry]

OK,I hadn't thought of that,maybe she's just laying out.You're right, just keep them in for a day or two.

[trinder]

I know nothing. BUT. Don't they make that really screeching noise when they have laid an egg? Could you just dash out when you hear that and see which one made it and roughly where they are?