Do Chickens Mourn ?

[Steemroo]

Oh, I almost forgot. Doves, of course, do mourn.

 

[Beekissed]

Prince says they even cry.

 

[Sharon2012]

Two weeks ago I came in from work to find the smallest of my chickens laying in the pen paralyzed and his neck turned almost all the way around. My other 7 were circling him and every so often laying their heads against him. My SO thought maybe he had been hard pecked and had wry neck and culled him. The others just stood and stared as he was removed from the area.
The next morning a neighbor kid came and admitted he and a friend had come to "look" at the chicks and while poking at them the little one pecked them. One grabbed a stick and while hitting it broke the stick into three pieces. B said the birds were really upset when the boys got there and were even worse when they hit the chick.
If the chickens weren't mourning the little one it was doggone close.

 

[Chickadee95]

I think that chickens mourn and remember bad things that happen to them.
In our community 4H flock the chickens were let out during the day and locked up at night. One night they were accidentally locked out and 19 / 20 of them were killed by a raccoon. 1 lived. She wouldn't come out of the nesting box for months after (starting the next day after the massacre). She eventually died. I do believe that she was traumatized by the experience.
Just my opinion and personal experience~

 

[City Chicken]

our hen lost her flock and got bitten by a racoon. she was in a totally bummed state and took awhile to heal, not just physically, but mentally it seemed. she was extremely cautious and yes, sad.
i got her a friend to have as her new flock and she began laying again 10 days after.

 

[galanie]

I don't know about mourning but they do feel stress and yes, if a chicken they were particularly good friends with suddenly is gone, they seem lost for a while. And I can certainly see such a social animal losing it's only companion is going to be upset because they very much need a "flock" - but to call that mourning? eh, I don't.

I too experienced a sudden sense of relief from my hens after getting rid of a rooster that was just too rough on them. After they gladly lined up to eat his liver and heart, etc. They were very much more relaxed and yes, also started laying better. But it wasn't joy so much as a relief from the stress the idiot was causing.

 

[BuckeyeGinni]

We lost our first chicken to a hawk this past weekend. It really broke our hearts......it was the only one out of our flock that out grandson had named too.....we then put bird netting over as much of the coop as we could and the parts we couldn't, we strung fishing line. Anyone tried this? We do not want to loose any more of our birds, we only have 5 . We just wish we could have saved her....

 

[OMGchicken]

That was so well said. I do agree with you.

I just lost one of my four RIRs to a sudden death. I think she may have eaten something poisonous.
They are pullets, only 5 months old, and not laying yet. Maureen went to bed early, the rest followed her up.
Three hours later when I checked on them, two were in the run, crying. I found Mo in the coop - dead!

The other one, Lori, wouldn't come out of the coop. Yesterday, she barely ate or drank and stayed under the coop in the run,
just standing, all day! While the other two were carrying on as usual. They are free range in the backyard all day. I thought
she must be getting ready to lay her first egg.

Last night I spent a great deal of time with them all, hugging and holding them. They usually won't let me touch them, but last night
they did. The smallest one almost fell asleep on my shoulder, cooing. I put them to bed in the coop.

This morning they are all three back to acting normal. I am certain they were traumatized by the death, and mourn the loss. Lori
hasn't laid yet.

 

[sandesnow]

I am so glad this information is here. (It takes away a bit of worry I have had the last couple days.) 3 days ago we lost who we pretty much decided was our adventurer to a hawk. It happened so quickly there was nothing we could do. The others fled of course toward our home for safety. The sad part is that they seem so very affected by this loss the last couple days. I am not certain if Rosy was the lead hen, but she was one that constantly was ahead of the group when it came to wandering around. She was a risk taker, and so I am slightly leaning toward her having been the lead hen. The other two seem almost lost without her. Rosy's behavior started roughly about September (about 8 weeks ago) where she would be adventurous, leaving the yard and that kind of thing where the others would stay put and just were happiest in the confines of the yard. I do let them free-range, though with the colder weather it just hasn't been practical as often as I would have liked.

Since the incident, I have noticed an immediate change in behavior. Their eating is considerably less and I have been very concerned. (I should say that their appetite is fine when foraging, their feed, they are barely touching at all. It is being eaten, but it is not anywhere near what it was before.) Their laying has nearly stopped. I think we are getting one ever other day now with the pair. I had thought to replace the hen with a couple of new ones to help them get over their loss, (however, our supplier is out for the season and won't be getting more until April) and I believe that this is what it is because both are healthy and seem just as friendly.. if not moreso, than before.

The chickens we have are Golden Comets, and they have always been friendly, but all have always had such different personalities. However, the one that didn't care to be petted or picked up, the last couple days has been very attached to us. Following us around, that sort of thing, and generally seeking to be physical with us in the ways of being close or being protected. And foraging has really not worked the last couple days because I believe they are still frightened. They stay so close to the house and refuse to leave the porch. I may try just keeping them penned for a while, though they almost beg to come out. I just am trying to decide which is best for the least amount of stress for them.

Hopefully in a couple weeks things will return back to normal. During this writing, I received a call from our supplier with a name of someone I may be able to contact for some birds. Though I don't think they will be the same breed. :S I feel so bad for my girls. =(

 

[JanetS]

I am so glad this information is here. (It takes away a bit of worry I have had the last couple days.) 3 days ago we lost who we pretty much decided was our adventurer to a hawk. It happened so quickly there was nothing we could do. The others fled of course toward our home for safety. The sad part is that they seem so very affected by this loss the last couple days. I am not certain if Rosy was the lead hen, but she was one that constantly was ahead of the group when it came to wandering around. She was a risk taker, and so I am slightly leaning toward her having been the lead hen. The other two seem almost lost without her. Rosy's behavior started roughly about September (about 8 weeks ago) where she would be adventurous, leaving the yard and that kind of thing where the others would stay put and just were happiest in the confines of the yard. I do let them free-range, though with the colder weather it just hasn't been practical as often as I would have liked.

Since the incident, I have noticed an immediate change in behavior. Their eating is considerably less and I have been very concerned. (I should say that their appetite is fine when foraging, their feed, they are barely touching at all. It is being eaten, but it is not anywhere near what it was before.) Their laying has nearly stopped. I think we are getting one ever other day now with the pair. I had thought to replace the hen with a couple of new ones to help them get over their loss, (however, our supplier is out for the season and won't be getting more until April) and I believe that this is what it is because both are healthy and seem just as friendly.. if not moreso, than before.

The chickens we have are Golden Comets, and they have always been friendly, but all have always had such different personalities. However, the one that didn't care to be petted or picked up, the last couple days has been very attached to us. Following us around, that sort of thing, and generally seeking to be physical with us in the ways of being close or being protected. And foraging has really not worked the last couple days because I believe they are still frightened. They stay so close to the house and refuse to leave the porch. I may try just keeping them penned for a while, though they almost beg to come out. I just am trying to decide which is best for the least amount of stress for them.

Hopefully in a couple weeks things will return back to normal. During this writing, I received a call from our supplier with a name of someone I may be able to contact for some birds. Though I don't think they will be the same breed. :S I feel so bad for my girls. =(

What ever got your hen will be back for more!!