Do chickens mourn when a hen dies?

[lillypurrs23]

Last Monday, one of our Cuckoo Marans died. The coop seemed rather quieter (even though she was always picked on and the lowest because she brooded once). Now yesterday, the top hen in the pecking order died. The coop is reeeally quiet. She grew up with 3 other Speckled Sussex and all four of them were really close. They all slept in boxes in a corner, all near each other but my mom thinks that she got her out before they saw...do they know she's gone? Are they sad?

 

[fosterson]

Last Monday, one of our Cuckoo Marans died. The coop seemed rather quieter (even though she was always picked on and the lowest because she brooded once). Now yesterday, the top hen in the pecking order died. The coop is reeeally quiet. She grew up with 3 other Speckled Sussex and all four of them were really close. They all slept in boxes in a corner, all near each other but my mom thinks that she got her out before they saw...do they know she's gone? Are they sad?

I have no idea if chickens 'mourn' but you can bet they 'miss' her. This has upset the pecking order of the chickens terribly and they're likely feeling very insecure and uncertain. In a day or two, you can bet one of the hens will make a move to up her status somehow, and the pecking order dance will start all over again.

 

[enola]

I worried more about two deaths so close together.

 

[3chickchicks]

They'll figure things out and move on. I would look into why two of your birds have died. If you aren't sure, post anything you noticed and everyone here will try and help.

 

[bucky52]

I do believe they mourn.Watching my red star last summer looking for her lost sister broke my heart.

 

[lillypurrs23]

Thanks, everyone. Yeah I forgot to say the reason they died- the Maran died because a thin shelled egg broke inside her, and apparently got infected (that's what the vet said, she did a necropsy) and we aren't sure why Jasmine (the Sussex) died, but she had a slow crop so we were feeding her with a dropper for a week. The vet told us to give her some antibiotic crap, and my mom thinks she wasn't hydrated enough, which caused kidney failure. (The antibiotic could do that if the hen wasn't hydrated enough) Her wattles were pretty pale. She also was a bigger hen. But their two deaths weren't really related by a disease or anything.

 

[kareclem]

What ever happened with you Red Star? Did she get better? I am going through something similar now with a chicken and I am wondering if she will ever go back to her happy self?

 

[tinksfly]

Had a raccoon try to get into my coop this morning. My roo defented his coop and the three hens but lost his life on the processes. Now all 3 of the girls woll not leave the spot where he died. It's so sad. Is there anything I can do to help them feel better. And yes they saw the whole thing.