Poultry Talk Ontario (pto.ca)

One of my cornish pullets has gone missing. I think she went broody and she's hiding. Of course she could have been snatched by a predator, but no other chickens are missing, there's no loose feathers or piles of feathers anywhere- and I made the mistake of cutting her off from the hay bale where she liked to lay her eggs. I haven't seen any of her eggs since then, it's been about a week, and I've actually had to toss another cornish out of the nest boxes for suspect broody behaviour (puffy and growling) so I'm betting she's around somewhere. Now this may seem like a stupid question, but how can I find her? I figure she'll be on the ground somewhere, pretty close to where she used to lay her eggs- does anyone have any other ideas where I should look? Surely she won't put a nest away from where the chickens usually roam? (This is where a white chicken would come in handy). I'm sure the weather will turn soon, no way she'll make it outside for 3 more weeks.... and of course she's a favourite. Both mine and the rooster's. I wish I had an infrared camera. Any ideas? I still think that there's a much greater chance a Buckeye would have gone missing if it was a predator (really they are TOO friendly) so I really want to try and find her, even if it's bad news.

She'll come out every day looking for dinner. If she can join the flock (free ranging) then follow her back. Or put a side dish of food and water for her, then follow her back. When she's on walkabout looking for dinner she'll make a peculiar cluck. Good luck

If a hen goes broody, and you don't want her broody now, you separate her from the flock in a separate pen. I believe the term is "breaking a broody" i suggest you google it.

Oh no........ didn't see her today. Maybe it is bad news then :-( Fortunately it has been easy to break the other one from broodiness, so far.
Looks like I'll be hatching out a lot of Cornish next spring if they keep dropping dead and disappearing. They are pretty useless for eggs compared to the mixed hens I have, but there's something I really like about these cornish birds. I'd like to keep a small pure flock going but so far easier said than done.

Are you forecast to get snow anytime soon? She might leave foot prints?

Take one of your dogs on a 20' lead and walk around your yard etc watching its nose , tail & ears for signs of interest & also listen hen growling etc . Let it sniff all over . No matter what breed a dog is their nose works .Luck

Ross, thanks, I'll give that a go but probably I'll have to borrow one of your dogs, mine are pretty clueless and I'm afraid they'd have a chicken dinner before I could reel them in! Huskies and chickens don't mix, for sure.
Cuttlefish- No snow is forecast anytime soon, but it's supposed to be very cold Sunday night so I'll have to find her before then.

Just let out a little lead at a time even huskies use there nose especially if food/prey driven . Luck

Robbie wrote: Now this may seem like a stupid question, but how can I find her?

It's not a stupid question, but no easy answers, wait until she comes out and follow her is what I do. Some are wily and will take you on a wild goose chase and disappear in a blink. Not all will come out every day, especially in the very beginning and towards the end. I have a few that once they start sitting, they don't budge for three or four days, but then nature wins and they have to get off to ...and will usually run for a quick bite of food while they're up anyway. Literally, run, munchmunchmunch and run back. If they don't have access to food, they will not wait for it, they're back on that nest and in Zen broody mode faster than you can blink.

Robbie wrote:I figure she'll be on the ground somewhere, pretty close to where she used to lay her eggs-

Not likely! If she felt her original favourite spot was in danger of being raided or disturbed, she could be anywhere. Ground is most common place to nest, but they're not always logical creatures left to their own devices. I once had one decide that on top of a barn beam in a loft, was a GREAT place to lay. I only found the spot because I found smashed eggs on the threshing floor, 15 feet below :/ At any rate, if she has a new spot, it's probably nowhere near her old one if it was rearranged or disturbed in any way.

Robbie wrote: does anyone have any other ideas where I should look? Surely she won't put a nest away from where the chickens usually roam?

Behind anything that stands out/up from the wall/floor in the slightest, like open doors, under stacked lumber, behind leaning building materials, in gaps in straw bales, under wall edges, behind loose housewrap or siding, in crawl spaces, in coop eaves. under porches, under low trailing trees and bushes, in hedges, under brush piles, in an open composter or unused garbage bin. They will get into places you wouldn't think them capable of, just to stop you from pilfering their eggs :D

Robbie wrote: I'm sure the weather will turn soon, no way she'll make it outside for 3 more weeks....

She absolutely could. Cold weather will wear her reserves down faster, but chances are good she's in a reasonably dry spot, which is most important in cold. Her eggs may not be so lucky--when she gets off to eat they will cool FAST, and won't survive repeated severe cooldowns...but if she IS broody somewhere, she will not sit a nest for three weeks straight, she WILL come off it occasionally, and hopefully broodiness is the case here and you can find her/catch her. A dog works well too as Ross said, and may show particular interest if a predator has recently been hanging about as well. A snatch and grab by a fox doesn't always leave evidence behind, except for a smell most interesting to a dog with a high prey drive. If you are concerned she is holed up and the dog may harm her before you can correct, use a halter, gives you instant control of the dogs face/head and even a big dog can't pull you. My oldest son has a King Shepherd, he's enormous and pulls, making walking him anywhere there might be small animals a bit dicey without a halter, but with one, it's a breeze. No dead chihuahuas or chickens lol
I really hope you find your girl!

Aye, i had a hen lay a nest in a distant shed on the last partial bale in a square baler. i went to hook up the tractor and "surprise". I put the eggs in the 'bator and raised a dozen, but the chicken was lost when her nest disappeared, she ran around for three days looking for it then disappeared, fox snack for sure.