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Post by horseless on Dec 17, 2016 17:05:55 GMT
Last night we got our first snowfall. It was still snowing when I went out to tend to my chickens this morning. I raised them as chicks so this is the first time for them to see  , I opened their coop up and no one wanted to come out..lol. I went around, and opened up the coop to check for eggs, but since they were all still inside they got a bit spooked and 3 flew out. Once they landed on the ground they pretty much froze and did not move, I slowly picked 2 of them up and returned them to their coop, and went to go fetch the other. At this time my 13 year old son saw what was happening and ran over to help me but him running over the way he did instead of approaching slowly, freaked her out and she started flying then landed and ran off into the woods. I searched for a good hour but it was snowing hard and it was very tough to see anything. I knew my chances of finding her were slim, as shes probably hiding somewhere. Sad to lose one, I know to some its just a chicken but I enjoy having them. I hope she finds her way back before a coyote finds her.  |
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Lipizzan
Junior Member
Europe, Croatia
Posts: 2,572 
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Post by Lipizzan on Dec 17, 2016 17:40:12 GMT
I think she will come back. Don't worry. And they are not just chickens, a life is a life. No matter what creature.
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Post by horseless on Dec 17, 2016 18:37:27 GMT
Thanks Lipizzan, I agree they are not "just chickens" to me.
Its starting to clear up outside, hoping she returns before nightfall.
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Post by horseless on Dec 17, 2016 21:57:28 GMT
Found her when it cleared up hiding in a very thick area packed with brush, the brush was so thick I could only push my way through slowly, which didnt allow me to get as close to her as quickly as I needed to catch her. I tryed herding her back towards the coop but when we came to a clearing she flew into a tree about 50 feet up. Just checked the tree hoping she'd stay up there for the night but she was gone. I locked the rest in for the night, and opened the gate to the run. Hoping she will find her way back home in the morning. |
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mistersmom
Junior Member
Abita Springs, LA
Posts: 3,749
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Post by mistersmom on Dec 18, 2016 0:56:54 GMT
I hope she finds her way home tonight or tomorrow. I would imagine when she gets hungry she will find her way back to the coop.
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Post by horselady on Dec 18, 2016 1:10:52 GMT
Gee i hope you find her.. and no they are not just chickens,, they become like family no matter what it is..
now every time you go to feed them.. shake the can or bucket or whistle one special whistle,, that way they associate the sound you make with food.. and i mean every time for just such instances that you need to call them back into their yard.
my son did as i suggested and one day when he came home from work all of his birds were on the lawn.. he grabbed the bucket and whistled shook the bucket and they all followed him into the coop..
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Post by horseless on Dec 18, 2016 2:10:46 GMT
Mm- thank you, thats what Im hoping as well.
HL- thats a great idea, while I always talk to them when I go out to them I dont have a routine call or thing that I do every time. I will definitly start doing that. When I was searching earlier I was shaking a bucket with a bit of feed in it, hoping she would recognize the sound but I didnt get any reaction out of her. I even threw bits of corn to her when I found her hoping she'd show some interest but I think she was too shooken up as she paid it no mind.
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mistersmom
Junior Member
Abita Springs, LA
Posts: 3,749
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Post by mistersmom on Dec 18, 2016 16:24:50 GMT
Hoping your girl has come home this morning.
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Post by horseless on Dec 18, 2016 17:24:29 GMT
Unfortunatly she did not find her way back yet. But I just got in from looking for her and she is about 30-40ft into the woods on our property up in a very big tree. Im happy shes close to her coop, its keeping me a little hopeful of her chances of finding her way back home.
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Post by horseless on Dec 18, 2016 22:33:09 GMT
So it happened...my dog spotted her in the backyard while i was cooking dinner. My husband went out tryed walking her towards the run which we had opened so she could go in. Well he seemed to need a hand so I finished up the food and went out to assist him in herding her towards the gate. We were right by the opened gate...just a foot or two away when my husband got the bright idea to try and pounce on her...man I couldve killed him at that moment. I know he had the best intentions but a few minutes more of patience and she wouldve been home. Instead she flew off in the opposite direction back into the woods on my neighbors property. He continued running after her and of course she was in full blown panic, he chased her further away than she ever was to begin with, and now shes up a tree righg by the busy road. I give up..😧
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Lipizzan
Junior Member
Europe, Croatia
Posts: 2,572
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Post by Lipizzan on Dec 19, 2016 14:20:23 GMT
Oh man.... That was close.
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mistersmom
Junior Member
Abita Springs, LA
Posts: 3,749
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Post by mistersmom on Dec 19, 2016 14:37:06 GMT
Men....
Maybe you can get her by yourself today. She must be hungry!
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Post by horselady on Dec 19, 2016 19:49:17 GMT
I know it might be a long shot but perhaps put two chickens in a carrier. like dog carrier. and see if she will come to them than move carrier closer to the coop if she is near to it..
and yes a couple more seconds of patience and she would be inside. but he must feel like crap.
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Post by horseless on Dec 19, 2016 21:11:16 GMT
Mm- my thoughts exactly. She hasnt eaten since saturday, not sure how long she can keep that up.
HL- I know, he must. Thats why I didnt want to say anything to him about it. Thats a great idea, I was wondering if another chicken would get her attention. Its getting dark now, but I will try that tomorrow. Shes still up in the tree by the road.
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Post by horseless on Dec 21, 2016 12:37:24 GMT
She is home safe this morning! The night of my last post I had gone to check on her in the tree and she was no where to be found. And I didnt see her anywhere after that. Well to my surprise tjis morning when I looked out my back door she was next to the fencing of the run talking to the other chickens. I went out and threw som corn in a corner between the fencing and the house knowing she wouldnt be able to fly from there. As she started eating I slowly picked her up. I cant begin to explain how happy I am. So glad she is home and safe, not a scratch on her.  |
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Post by horselady on Dec 21, 2016 12:46:44 GMT
great news. see she knew her friends were waiting for her and perhaps calling her.. now everytime you go feed make that same noise.. and i use come on girls.. when feeding the horses and i grab a bucket.. i have yellow ones and trust me when they see the bucket they come running.. in fact my son uses the same yellow buckets for feeding the chickens and says the same thing..
merry christmas mini-graphics-christmas-398152
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, I opened their coop up and no one wanted to come out..lol. I went around, and opened up the coop to check for eggs, but since they were all still inside they got a bit spooked and 3 flew out. Once they landed on the ground they pretty much froze and did not move, I slowly picked 2 of them up and returned them to their coop, and went to go fetch the other. At this time my 13 year old son saw what was happening and ran over to help me but him running over the way he did instead of approaching slowly, freaked her out and she started flying then landed and ran off into the woods. I searched for a good hour but it was snowing hard and it was very tough to see anything. I knew my chances of finding her were slim, as shes probably hiding somewhere. Sad to lose one, I know to some its just a chicken but I enjoy having them. I hope she finds her way back before a coyote finds her. 
