My new chicken, the pullet I got a week ago, got out of the pen today, while we were at church. The wind blew the top metal panel off of the pen, the four hens that were in there with the new pullet were still in the pen, but new pullet was missing. She did not like being in there, so I guess she got out as soon as the roof blew off. Where she went I don’t know, she wasn’t in the yard when we got home in the early afternoon, and we didn’t see her anywhere, or evidence of her anywhere.
We went out, and got home after dark, but she wasn’t in the yard anyhwere that I could find then. I had the dog crate out there opened for her to go in if she came back. Well, I hope she does come back. I hope a hawk did not get her. I feel so bad about her missing. I was going to keep her inside in the dog crate for a few weeks, but just put her in the pen the other day, and figured she’d be fine … the roof only has come off in the past with very high winds. We had some wind today, but nothing THAT strong as far as we know, in any case, the one panel was on the other side of the pen a few feet out, so it blew fairly far. In the past the hens that got out in such times stayed in the yard and we only had to catch them and put them back in the pen. I am figuring this henny just hates being “locked up” and “flew the coop” so to speak, at her first chance. 🙁
Our back yard is about a 1/4+ acre with a 6ft. wooden fence all around. I am just so mad that the pullet left … or that any old hawk that took her didn’t leave a calling card. So if she doesn’t show up ever, I have no clue if she left and is alive elsewhere, or if she got eaten. 🙁