Do chickens mourn when one chicken was taken? Is it suitable to replace a lost hen with one the sam

[tresler]

Okay this may sound silly but we had a bird disappear (think it may have been a fox or an owl since there was no trace) and now my silkie who was its buddy seems sad. One minute they were hanging out and the next minute they disappeared. I called my 4 girls and only 3 returned. I feel horrible and wont let them free range unless we are out to watch them now.

We have two other hens but it was buddies with the hen who was stolen. Is that posssible for a chicken to mourn the loss of another hen? Should i try getting another silkie who is the same age?

My silkie doesn't really hang with my Red or golden hen. She doesn't want to go into her house at night now either (we still push her in though), she stays with the others in general and they get along but they tend to move away from her when she trys to lay with them - guessing cause she is so furry (not sure).

 

[polarbearpilot]

Very sad for your loss. I believe chickens do get lonely when their mate is gone. However, getting another silkie does not guarantee that the old and the new one will get a long, or that the other two hens will accept the new one, at least not right away. I got my hens at different times and it took some time for the new ones to be accepted into the flock. Your other two hens may eventually let the silkie sleep with them since she is already hanging out with them.

 

[DunstableChicks]

I have the same question. I lost one last night - we thought they were all locked up in their house but didn't realize that two were out in the yard when we shut them in and in the morning our flock of 4 is now three. :-( Darn!!

They are 12 weeks old - If I get a new one while they are still young - will it have a better chance of being accepted? How do I find a new one around the same age? I've heard that introducing them by adding the new one at night when they are asleep in their house is best - they just wake up and there she is. Is this true?

 

[sandysylvester]

Very sad for your loss. I believe chickens do get lonely when their mate is gone. However, getting another silkie does not guarantee that the old and the new one will get a long, or that the other two hens will accept the new one, at least not right away. I got my hens at different times and it took some time for the new ones to be accepted into the flock. Your other two hens may eventually let the silkie sleep with them since she is already hanging out with them.

I agree. I think they know who their buddies are. You can't just replace it with another bird. It really does not work that way from what I have seen in my experience.

 

[polarbearpilot]

I have the same question. I lost one last night - we thought they were all locked up in their house but didn't realize that two were out in the yard when we shut them in and in the morning our flock of 4 is now three. :-( Darn!!

They are 12 weeks old - If I get a new one while they are still young - will it have a better chance of being accepted? How do I find a new one around the same age? I've heard that introducing them by adding the new one at night when they are asleep in their house is best - they just wake up and there she is. Is this true?

I think you're right. The younger they are, the more likely that they will get along. As for putting the new one in at night, I would wait. I would first put the new one in a different coop/cage side by side with the old ones so they see and know each other for a few days or a week at least because at 12 weeks, they are almost fully grown chickens, not young chicks anymore.

 

[blinkk]

Responding to the original question, yes, I think they mourn for a lost hen. We just had one disappear two weeks ago and the 3 that were left were very edgy at night. If I had to walk by their coup after dark they all perked right up and became extra wary. After a chicken disappears, the others not only noticed her absence, but also were reminded of their "prey" status. So perhaps they don't mourn with black clothes, candles, and a vigil, but they are affected too.