Chicken depression or what?

[PoultryLoverandfarmer]

so... I had a hen die due to fowl fox and her closest flock mate was another hen named hawk, Now I have been noticing that hawk has been avoiding most of the others apart from the rooster. She also likes to have something on her right wing which that's where sparrow would be if she were alive. Now
hawk is very quite now and avoiding me too so... I don't know if it's the cause of sparrow's death or just normal behavior.

 

[alexa009]

Has feed consumption reduced at all? How long has this behavior been going on? I have heard of depression in chickens when there has been a crisis in the flock but have never experienced this in my chickens when they had been side by side until one eventually passes away. This will probably be temporary and her behavior will go back to normal.

 

[PoultryLoverandfarmer]

She has been eating a lot less but not to the point of starvation, this has been going on for about 2 weeks but I thought it was just normal but now I'm a bit worried.

 

[alexa009]

She has been eating a lot less but not to the point of starvation, this has been going on for about 2 weeks but I thought it was just normal but now I'm a bit worried.

Hopefully things will go back to the original routine. Maybe socializing with her will help.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I had one particular hen mourn for her friend for almost a year. She was unusual. Some seem to get upset, others go on like nothing happened. Just keep an eye out that there isn't something wrong with your chicken. Generally if she's eating and drinking than they are fine.

 

[aart]

so... I had a hen die due to fowl fox and her closest flock mate was another hen named hawk, Now I have been noticing that hawk has been avoiding most of the others apart from the rooster. She also likes to have something on her right wing which that's where sparrow would be if she were alive. Now
hawk is very quite now and avoiding me too so... I don't know if it's the cause of sparrow's death or just normal behavior.

Could it be that hawk also is sick with what ever killed sparrow?
Then there is the 'sub-flock' dynamic in a flock, different groups can form especially if they are different ages or were added to the main flock as a group.

Had 4 'chicks' this spring, 3 males and 1 female named Sister...they hung together near but not with the younger chick group.
Males were culled at 13 weeks, it took Sister about 2 weeks before she melded in with the younger chick group....she wasn't old enough to meld with the adult birds.