I think I just saw a chicken cry

I believe animals have emotions. They can sense things we cannot. My dog knew I was pregnant before I did. She suddenly was driving me nuts. Whenever I tried to sleep, she'd jump on the bed, (not allowed) and place her head over my stomach. And once my son was born, NOTHING could make her budge from under the cradle or crib when he was sleeping. If he stirred, Annibelle would bolt from the room to get me, grabbing a peice of my clothing until I complied.

The hens will snub me if I do something stupid like take too much time in releasing them from the coop. They snub me when I remove roosters for rehoming. The favorite hens of the roosters go into mourning. If the dogs are happy, the hens aren't against teasing to play and pick on, or if the dogs aren't feeling their best, they sense it and wait it out. When one goes broody, suddenly all the others decide to lay their eggs as close to her as possible. The broody has become complient in our three times a day routine in taking her from her nest and depositing her outside by food and water and a little outside social interaction before going back to her nesting 'duty'. I've actually witnessed two hens be very gentle to her, sitting nearly chest to chest, beaks touching in some sort of wordless communication shared.

I think it unique that chickens have different personalities. When their different personalities interact, their social skills refine. Roosters for example are very protective. They are passionate in protecting their flock. Some hens are subserviant towards humans. Some just want to hang out and jump on laps. Even when you don't have food. Dean Koontz has a wonderful book out about his dog Trixi, how they became a family. In it, he also explains her death, and the process of getting another dog whom was supposed to be used as a service dog. Reading over the end of the book and what THIS dog remembered, and her reactions/emotions is amazing.

Dogs used in recovery take their work to heart. Most of them have a difficult time once recovering a body and must have time off to recover themselves.

Is it my imagination, or does it seem like if you have a room filled with people whom adore cats, the cat will ignore them all until the lone cat hater walks in. Then the cat is all over them as a best bud. Almost see them smile....
 
RIP Daisy :hugs

All animals have feelings and anyone who thinks otherwise should be ashamed of them selves, feelings aren't just reserved for humans.
 
:hugs

I believe like everyone else that animals have emotions!
I had a shih-tzu who passed at the age of 3. The night she died my golden retriever sat on the porch and howled the most beautiful, saddest song I'd ever heard.
And when my mother was getting chemo-threpary, her legs would get super cold and nothing we did helped, my mutt dog climbed up on her legs and whined, his eyes plainly saying “does this help?”

Animals emotions are an amazing thing
 
That breaks my heart. People that think a chicken doesn't have feelings are so ignorant. So sorry about your girl.

I agree! How sad... Sorry for your loss...
hugs.gif
 
I know this is an old post. But my girl just passed away tonight. I held her for about 3 hours just petting and talking to her and she looked at me and actually had TEARS rolling down her face. She did this for a few minutes before putting her neck around my shoulder and her wing around my arm. She passed away about 15 minutes after.
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I'm so upset. That breaks my heart!
 
I know this is an old post. But my girl just passed away tonight. I held her for about 3 hours just petting and talking to her and she looked at me and actually had TEARS rolling down her face. She did this for a few minutes before putting her neck around my shoulder and her wing around my arm. She passed away about 15 minutes after.
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I'm so upset. That breaks my heart!
I'm so sorry for your loss, that is terrible but it sounds like she knew she was loved and most chickens don't ever get to experience that so I hope you can take comfort in that and be happy that you gave her a good life
 
After keeping all sorts of animals and also working in a zoo for many years, it became obvious animals do have real emotions.

People who can't see it are just not interesting in animals, or perhaps they themselves are lacking in some emotions!

Animals are just built so different to us, or show such different behaviours, that its not easy to see them having emotions similar to us... but that does not mean they don't have them.

It was not long ago that humans believed animals could not feel pain!

One time I can not explain or forget was when one of my young hens died:

I looked out the house window to see my small flock all tightly gathered around the dead hen.

Even the 2 roosters that usually can't stand each other were together.

They were all gathered around the dead hen standing silently and taking turns to bend down and look closely at her. But they did not peck or touch her.

I watched out the window and they stayed like that for many minutes. But as soon as I opened the door to go outside they quickly dispersed and went about their normal behaviour and ignored the dead bird.
 
I'm so sorry for your loss, that is terrible but it sounds like she knew she was loved and most chickens don't ever get to experience that so I hope you can take comfort in that and be happy that you gave her a good life

Thank you so much for the kind words. I just hate that my poor baby had to go like that. I couldn't bring myself to put her down in her state like that. She was so sweet. I'm going to miss that baby. Lord knows I will. I have 4 left. 3 hens and my rooster. All the same age. I told DH I don't want anymore because it breaks my heart every time I lose one. But this one and her sister were very special to me. They were my girls for sure! Get in my lap and go to sleep. I would let them stay in my house when the weather was bad and sometimes just for the heck of it. They were around 6 years old and haven't laid an egg in a long time and I think the heat got to her yesterday and she just couldn't take it.
 
Thank you so much for the kind words. I just hate that my poor baby had to go like that. I couldn't bring myself to put her down in her state like that. She was so sweet. I'm going to miss that baby. Lord knows I will. I have 4 left. 3 hens and my rooster. All the same age. I told DH I don't want anymore because it breaks my heart every time I lose one. But this one and her sister were very special to me. They were my girls for sure! Get in my lap and go to sleep. I would let them stay in my house when the weather was bad and sometimes just for the heck of it. They were around 6 years old and haven't laid an egg in a long time and I think the heat got to her yesterday and she just couldn't take it.
I have one that I'm close to like that,she was a gonner for sure in April I couldn't bring myself to put her down either, she suffered for 3 days before I called another farmer to cull her for me, but when he got there he said she was moving around as if nothing was wrong, I couldn't belive it because she literally had no throat! I took her to the vet and they were able to stitch her up. I feel the same way about her and I would be heart broken if she died, but unfortunately it's a part of life. I've lost 5 between chicken hawk attacks and a neighbors dog, I know it won't replace her but I find a good thing that keeps me occupied when something happens like that is to go get a few cute baby chicks. And who knows maybe one of them could find a new special spot in your heart! I have one that I'm just in love with!
 

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