Got a missing chicken? For those who keep a backyard flock in an urban or suburban setting, a missing bird seems unthinkable. How could a chicken possibly get out of its tidy, contained coop-and-run combo or its fenced backyard?.
For those of us who live in a rural residential or agricultural zone, however, discovering a member of our flock is missing at lock-up is not as uncommon as you’d think. When you add in free-ranging and the fact that chickens are naturally curious, you can see why you might be missing one.
If this happens to you when you’re closing up your coop for the night, don’t panic. Take a deep breath. Then take on one or more of these five suggestions.
Will a Lost Chicken Come Home? What to Do When Your Flock is Missing a Member
It’s very upsetting for a chicken owner to do their nightly headcount and find that one of their beloved birds is missing. Those of us who let our flocks roam freely know all too well how that sinking feeling in your stomach feels as you quickly search the coop and run. As animals, chickens are naturally curious and love to roam and check out their surroundings. But this can lead them astray, wandering farther than expected. What should you do if someone goes missing? Will they get back home?
Why Chickens Go Missing
There are a few key reasons a chicken may wander off and not return at night:
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Exploring new territory. Chickens are very curious animals that can go a long way to find food. They may lose track of how far they’ve gone.
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Seeking better roosts. Some chickens, especially bantams, prefer to roost as high as possible. They may fly into trees or onto rooftops at night.
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Hiding a nest. Hens that are pregnant will often sneak away from the flock to lay eggs and hatch them. They can hunker down in bushes, under sheds, etc.
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Predators. A chicken that went missing may have been taken by a fox, coyote, hawk, raccoon, or other animal. Feathers left behind offer a clue.
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Getting lost. Free ranging chickens can simply lose their way back home, especially younger or disoriented birds.
Will Lost Chickens Come Back?
The short answer is: sometimes. Here are the key factors:
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Roosters and younger chickens tend to stay closer to home, so are more likely to find their way back if they wander off. Hens are more prone to go missing while nesting.
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The longer a chicken is missing, the lower the chances it will return. After 24-48 hours, hopes fade. But some do reappear after several days!
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Predation is a big risk. Missing chickens taken by foxes, hawks etc. will not come home. Check for signs of a struggle.
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Bad weather decreases survival odds. Chickens exposed to cold, rain, etc. are less likely to last more than a day or two.
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Familiarity with their home territory. Chickens who regularly free range are better at navigating back.
So while there is a chance your missing flock member will come waltzing back into the coop, temper your expectations. But don’t give up hope! Keep searching diligently.
What To Do When A Chicken Goes Missing
If you discover a chicken is not in the coop at night, here are some tips:
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Do an immediate and thorough search of their favorite haunts and foraging areas. Call their name while searching.
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Check trees, rooftops, bushes, sheds, etc. for roosting chickens. A flashlight helps spot them.
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Scour the area for signs of dig marks, scattered feathers, or other evidence of predators.
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Ask neighbors to keep an eye out. Provide photos if possible.
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Report missing chicken in local community groups, veterinarians, and animal shelters.
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Leave the coop open with food and water in case it returns overnight.
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Continue daily searches for at least 3-4 days, covering wider territory each time.
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Consider setting up a humane trap with the flock’s favorite foods to lure the chicken back.
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Enlist friends and family to help search neighboring properties. Extra eyes help!
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Check roadsides for any sign of an injured or killed chicken.
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Monitor sites like Craigslist in case someone finds and rehomes the bird.
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If the chicken had unique markings, report it as missing on sites like parrotalert.com.
Don’t lose hope if your chicken has been missing for a few days. Persistence and creativity in searching often pays off. But also be realistic – the odds decline steadily with each passing day. If after 4-5 days of extensive searching there is still no sign, it may sadly be time to accept the loss. Take it as a lesson to explore better containment options like fencing or clipping wings to limit future wanderings. While free ranging offers benefits, it does come with inherent risks that can be minimized.
The Bottom Line
While nothing takes away the sting of a missing flock member, take heart that it’s not uncommon for chickens to occasionally wander off and not return. With persistence, creativity and a little luck, there’s a fair chance your bird will reappear and happily rejoin the flock. But predation and exposure are very real dangers so manage your expectations realistically. And always be proactive about improving containment measures so future losses are less likely. With proper precautions, your whole flock will be tucked in safe and sound each night. Sweet dreams!
#1 Is Your Bird Having a Slumber Party?
Most likely, if you have more than one flock of chickens, the birds have noticed each other and have talked to each other through clucks, warbles, crows, and other sounds. Commonly, these calls keep each other informed of the status of their territory. This is especially true if you keep more than one rooster.
Occasionally, your birds’ chatter may actually be more neighborly. Chickens will sort out where each of them stands in the expanded poultry society comprised of all your flocks. If you discover that one of your hens is missing, check your other coops.
I’ve lost count of how many times we’ve found members our BBS Orpington flock peacefully snoozing on the perch in the Buff Orpington coop and Buffs on the Blue Orpington perch. If your birds are having a sleepover , there’s no need to disturb them (unless roosters are present and you breed separate varieties).
Just sort everyone back out when you release them in the morning.
#3 Mamma Mia! (It Could Be Broodiness)
Even if our coops are equipped with nest boxes, sometimes a girl in Mama Hen mode wants more privacy than we provide. Instead of setting eggs within the safety of their henhouses, these ladies venture out to find brooding grounds of their own.
Ten years ago, our Easter Egger, Keynoter, went missing from release until lock-up every day for more than two weeks. I finally tailed her to the woods on the southeast corner of our property. Here I discovered her—and her clutch of 18 eggs—tucked out of sight beneath a fallen tree.
Our Black Orpington, Fitz, pulled a similar stunt four years ago, except she did not return at night. We’d given her up for dead… until the weekend we were weeding around our pole barn. There was Fitz, all fluffed up and growling at us from beneath our overgrown rhubarb, where she was brooding nine eggs.
We were fortunate that our hens weren’t overly adventurous. Someone I know in the area named Mari lost her award-winning Salmon Faverolle hen one summer evening a few years ago. Her family searched everywhere for the sweet-tempered hen, to no avail.
About three weeks later, that Faverolle reappeared, trooping out of the forest and looking very worn, ratty and grumpy … with a troop of chicks accompanying her.
If the bird you’re looking for is a hen that likes to lay eggs, look under bushes and shrubs, under downed trees, and behind air conditioners.
Look inside old tires, too. That’s where we found Ebony Orpington and her egg-filled nest.
Lost chicken found at Vancouver seniors home
FAQ
Can a lost Chicken find her way home?
Generally, you don’t need to worry too much, though. Most of the time, a lost chicken will find her way home if given enough time. Usually, she can hear the other chickens, which points her in the right direction towards home. But chickens are very persistent, even if she can’t hear them. Plus, they aren’t very smart.
Do chickens run away?
Chickens do not run away on their own account. They do explore but prefer to stay close to home. Chickens also come home to roost in the evening. However, they may get lost or scared away. But if chickens like to stay close to home, why do they go missing sometimes? What can we do to make sure that doesn’t happen again?
Do chickens get lost?
Chickens do occasionally get lost. Chickens that are kept in a coop and run and not allowed to free range get lost very easily if they escape. More than a few lost chickens have been seen around the neighborhood because I have chickens.
What happens if a chicken can’t see her home?
If a chicken can’t see her home, she may have a hard time finding her way back. That can happen if she jumps up on a low roof or a fence and down the other side. At which point, they can not always find their way back. Generally, you don’t need to worry too much, though.
How do you find a missing chicken?
Inspect your garage, garden shed and any other structure on your property and on your neighbors’ property, too. If you belong to a local poultry group, put out the word—and share a photo, if you have one—that your chicken is missing. The more people searching, the more chances you’ll find your bird.
Why has my chicken disappeared from the coop?
If your chicken has disappeared during the day but coming home later then it is likely that she has found either a stash of food or a good place to feed or is laying away from the coop. If you have lost one that has not returned then it is likely broody on a remote nest or it has been taken by a predator.
Will chickens find their way home?
Yes, chickens generally find their way back to their coop at night, especially if they’ve established a routine and consider it their home. Chickens are creatures of habit and seek safety and shelter in their coop as darkness falls.
How far will an escaped chicken go?
Chickens can only maintain flight for short distances, usually not much more than 30-40 yards. The only reasons they usually fly are to escape a predator or even pecking order disputes. A dominant hen may use her ability to fly as a way to maintain her status, often claiming the highest roosting spots.
How do I find my missing chicken?
Inspect your garage, garden shed and any other structure on your property and on your neighbors’ property, too. If you belong to a local poultry group, put out the word—and share a photo, if you have one—that your chicken is missing. The more people searching, the more chances you’ll find your bird.
Will chickens come back if they wander off?
Reading up about chicken escapees online, I learned that when a chicken escapes, it’s often best to just let them wander. They have a natural instinct to return to their coop in the evening, and you’ll generally find them back by the coop door when the sun goes down, waiting to be let back in.