Hen been missing for a while....

[soloequestrian]

.... should I hold out any hope?
Two of my six hens vanished about 10 weeks ago. They are totally free range and one of them, who is quite elderly but still occasionally lays, has a history of laying a clutch in a secret place and then sitting on it for weeks so that is what I thought had happened. The other one had only just started laying and I thought maybe she had been lured to the same clutch site. Neither has been spotted now though for all that time - the old one used to at least appear for food every now and then when she was broody.
There were no feathers or other signs of predation, and I've not lost a chicken to a predator in about five years so it would seem very odd for something to take two at once. We've never had anything stolen from here despite being quite careless about leaving stuff outside, so theft seems an unlikely option too.
Am I being ridiculous to think there is a chance the younger chicken will reappear? Quite hacked off that she has gone - she was pretty, friendly, laid lovely green eggs and wasn't particularly cheap!

 

[JillA]

I lost two in similar circumstances about that time - vixens would have been feeding cubs. No remains whatsoever, no feathers, nothing but I really think it was fox(es) or maybe badgers. Mine were lovely, friendly "follow you anywhere" rescued warrens, and the two I have now are kept behind an electrified mesh fence. Shame really because I loved the old girls being farmyard hens but I don't want foxes continually homing in for easy meals.

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

Ohhh dear, poor Hennie .........

Sorry OP, but I do think she might have had an untimely end.

Tho' on the other hand, she may have gone broody somewhere and re-appear with a clutch of chicks! You never know. I've had a daft old broody hen now for about a fortnight, she won't shift her arse out the henhouse. Have never had one go broody this late in the year before.

 

[Moobli]

I hope she is just broody and turns up soon with her new family. We have a broody at the moment and she has been sitting for weeks, but is actually in the hen house - so at least we can feed/water her and keep an eye on her

 

[soloequestrian]

I'm fairly sure there is no cockerel anywhere near here, so if eggs are being incubated they are infertile..... The older hen used to appear occasionally for food and water when she was sitting, but I wouldn't be surprised if she had popped off this mortal coil this time - she must be about 7 by now. I hope if she is sitting, the younger one has the sense to get up for water every so often.

 

[Feival]

Any news?

 

[soloequestrian]

No sign :-(