Chicken Lost

[Tracey]

Yesterday two of our chickens escaped. I knocked on the nearby neighbours and searched their gardens, but no sign. I knocked on the houses backing on to ours and thankfully one of the chickens had been spotted in one of their gardens and taken to the vet. No sign of the other one though. I put notes though the rest of our neighbour’s doors. We’ve not heard any news. I feel really bad now, staying home today in case, hopefully, she’s found.
This weekend we will be putting up a taller fence. I thought they were not able to fly when their wings were clipped – wrong. In the meantime they’re confined to their run.

[Birdie Wife]

Sorry to hear about your lost hen - I would have thought they would stick together for the company, but maybe they were so thrilled at escaping that they went in different directions. I think the lost girl will be looking for company but if she's flown over a fence, she might be having trouble getting back again. Sounds like you've got some really nice neighbours if they took your one hen to the vets, hopefully they will spot the other one too. I hope you have a happy ending soon

[shirlthegirl43]

Oh dear. Why did the found one need a visit to the vet? Hope the other one turns up soon, if something spooked them they can take to the trees (if there are any handy) and it takes them a while to come back down. Fingers crossed you find her safe.

[Tracey]

Oh dear. Why did the found one need a visit to the vet? Hope the other one turns up soon, if something spooked them they can take to the trees (if there are any handy) and it takes them a while to come back down. Fingers crossed you find her safe.

Thanks

The found chicken was ok. They just took her to the vet as they lived in the road behind me and didn't know where she lived. The staff at the vets really took to her and was amazed how friendly she is. I think she was a novelty after them dealing with the usual pets.

One point I've learned is to get them used to a sound when I feed them treats, like shaking their corn treat tin, so that they know I'm there. When I was searching for them I had nothing to attact them when I'm out of site.

[Birdie Wife]

Good point Tracey - I call out "chook chook chook" when I've got food for them, it's the sound they make to each other to tell the others that they've found food. If they're over the other side of the field and I've got something nice for them, I give them a call and they come running over! There is nothing funnier than watching a chicken run!

[Tracey]

I agree the chickens are funny when they run. It's hilarious when one of them have a treat that the others want. They go running around the garden in a line, when the leader drops the treat (as they can't eat it without dropping it first) another chicken gets it and they all swop postions and chase the new leader.

I'm a bit embarassed to shout 'chook chook'. The neighbours already think I'm a bit eccentric!

[shirlthegirl43]

I'm a bit embarassed to shout 'chook chook'. The neighbours already think I'm a bit eccentric!

Just wait till you have an egg surplus and pass a few to the neighbours - they will suddenly be giving you treats for the chooks!!

[yoanbob]

hope theres no foxs near you, one of ours got out a couple of years ago and we couldnt find her,next day we discoverd a nest with chicken eggs and lots of bloody feathers. I hope she turns up soon.

[Tracey]

Yes unfortunately there are foxes. We have had them in our garden.

[yoanbob]

have you tried looking in everyones bushes? it where ours had hidden

[annafricangrey]

tracey

we had one that used to keep escaping, we have called her mrs houdini!!
we tried a wing clip and things have improved, along with putting net across the top of the run

she used to go and 'hide' in a neighbours hedge and laid her eggs there

i do shout 'come on' and give food so they associate the 'come on' with something nice

i do hope she gets home safe

ann