[newchickenkeeper]

Hi

Can anyone give me any clues as to what may have happened. My two girls were in the garden yesterday at 12pm, the garden is secure, chicken wire which is part buried into the ground, no holes etc. Fence is just over 5ft (they have never tried to jump or fly so far). I watch them all day from my home office window and then one had simply vanished.

No trace anywhere, no signs of struggle, not even a single feather. I walked around, checked under bishes, behind things, neighbours gardens, the farm at the back of the house - nothing. Spent a total of 5 hours yesterday just walking around and calling and not a sign.

But....when I was at the farm I found a shed with about 30 hybrids in all exactly the same as my girl so it was really difficult to tell if she was in there (and she would have had to do a lot of jumping to get into there over fences and walls).

I was hoping she would have returned this morning but nothing. Very worried about the other girl who is still here now also as she seems to be looking for her.

There was just no sign of a struggle and the other one wasnt spooked. There are no foxes because the land is managed. We do occasionally get hawks but as the cats were in the garden and also there was a constant huge stream of jackdaws and sparrows because I feed them - you would think there would have been a sudden flurry of wings and flapping had a hawk arrived.

I am heartbroken - I suppose I will never know but I hate to think of her lying there in pain.

The only other thing i can think is that she had a cough/sneeze and I got some antibiotics, do they go off to die away from the coop?

Thanks

[ANHBUC]

Hopefully she has found somewhere to hide but you need to check she is not stuck anywhere.  I had a turkey poult that perched on my quail ark and managed to slip off and down in between a sheet of ply leaning against the ark.    I also had a broody that managed to squeeze into a corner which was about a quarter of her size.  They can often get in to a tiny space but not always get out.  Their instinct will be to hide from predators so probably will not call.  Check under sheds and inside sheds, I recently found a dead blackbird that had managed to get trapped in a flip top bin in one of my sheds.   

I hope you find her but unfortunately you may never find out what happened to her. 

[ANHBUC]

Just had a thought, your neighbour wouldn't think it really funny would he/she? http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=107249.0

[GrannieAnnie]

She may have flown over into the farm maybe?  Ours when young could clear a 6ft fence!

[Sue33]

one of my girls likes to go walkies, she's usually up a nearby tree 

[cliodhna]

I had similar happen a few weeks ago, they had never tried to fly to get over the fences, then one day one decided she would quite like a wander round the neighbour's manicured garden and have a munch on all the beautiful grass and plants over there.

Needless to say they all now have clipped wings and the neighbour has been kept onside with regular eggs.

[Prod]

I have just had the same thing happen but with Call ducks. I've lost my 2 males over consecutive nights with no sign of attack/struggle/fence or coop damage.   It is very frustrating when you don't know what has happened.  I put traps out last night  but nada this morning......  I hope you find yours 

[frenchliving]

I too have had the same I posted on here saying she had disappeared less than 2 weeks ago, mine turned up about a week later, she has gone broody, and hidden somewhere! I have hunted and hunted around our garden and I cannot find her or where, she pops back now and then for food and water (not everyday though)

Hope your has done the same and you see her soon, just to put your mind at rest, its horrid not knowing whats happened!