[bantam novice]

I have a young gold-laced wyandotte bantam hen that my nephew named Sandwich.  She has been laying for about a month but recently she has been disappearing in the mornings only  to turn up again in the afternoon.  Today she has not turned up.

I keep my bantams in an enclosure surrounded by electric netting but they have started to fly over this to free range.  In  the end I let them out to free range while I am there during the day but Mr/s Fox is around and on the watch. 

They were all there in the morning and I decided not to open up the netting because the weather was so horrible and they were all in the coop.  Sandwich was not in the enclosure when I went down to check at about 2.00pm, nor was she in the coop.

I think she has been laying away but I have looked and not found any nests or nest sites.  I couldn't find her this evening and though I looked around there was no sign.  No feathers, blood or body parts.  I am hoping against hope that she is brooding or roosting up in a tree but have a horrible feeling that she has fallen victim to a predator.

I feel really guilty as I should have made a higher enclosure before this and now I have to live with the consequences. 

[PaulineM]

Hopefully she is broody and is sitting on a batch of eggs, my wyandotte  bantam goes broody after laying @ 16 - 20 eggs.   

[Cluckyclaire]

I hope she turns up soon, all the best

[joyfull]

she sounds like a lot of mine - I noticed one of mine in a field across the road so guess she is broody too. Shame that she will sitting in vain though as I no longer have any cockerels. Fingers crossed your girl is safe.

[ANHBUC]

My 2 Wyandotte Bantams are currently sitting on eggs so going by them I would say she has found a good nest site.  If you put some food and water outside of your enclosure you might spot her coming to feed.  They are really determined once broody so hopefully she will reappear in a few weeks. 

[Mrs.Apron]

Hope she's safe and well. xx

[Craigx]

Hi,

I noticed she the thread n wondered..

Has she happen to come back yet???

Craig

[bantam novice]

Thanks all.   She hasn't turned up yet but we will see...

[ehs284]

Have a good look around places she might get stuck  when exploring. We had one who managed to work her way into a pile of bricks but couldn't back out. She was there 60+ hours and dehydrated but otherwise fine. Watch the others; if she's calling for help they may investigate. Best of luck.