Do Hens Grieve?

[caralouise1974]

I originally had two BOs (sisters) and a bluebelle, and the BOs were thick as thieves and bossed the BB around. However, we had to send the top BO back to the breeder we got them from, because she became a feather-picker/eater, and both of the others were in serious danger from her becoming a cannibal.

We soon discovered that her sister still loved her despite the pecking, as she was grieving in such a bad way afterwards we thought she would starve herself to death. It was pitiful.

She eventually got so low she got Mycoplasma, and it seemed that this was what she needed to pull herself together. We got her onto antiobiotics and within a week she recovered, but she really had hit rock bottom.

Now she and her BB companion are the best of friends and she's fine, but it did take about six weeks, all told, and she went very light and miserable indeed.

I'm sure your girl will eventually pull herself together, if she's lasted this long, then she must have been eating enough to keep herself going. She'll pull through.

 

[KattyKillFish]

chickens, like humans, are social animals and can form strong bonds with one another. the poor girl must miss her friend so much

makes me sad just thinking about it!

heres hoping she feels better soon. see how she reacts to little chicks maybe?

sorry about your hen

 

[aggie343]

We had 2 white silkies and recently lost 1. Both were best friends. I have introduced another silkie bit my other 1 just keeps moping about clucking and then goes back to roost. Is this normal?

 

[dixiechick6]

We had a opossum get into our hen house and kill 3 of our hens the other 3 just don't act the same especially our sex link it just sits in the yard and makes a sound I've never heard before si I guess they can grieve.

 

[leslie crowe]

I originally had a run of 15 top hats from Murray's and one by one they died mostly from wryneck. The last three chicks that survived had a very tight bond and really got along together. Tina Turner(Golden Laced Polish) , Billy Idol(Buff Laced Polish), and Freckles(Mottled Houdan)
One just died 2 days ago (Tina Turner)
It somehow had injured its left leg when it arrived and hopped around on it a lot at the end. I'm guessing it died from some kind of injury during the shipping process .
When Tina Turner passed away, Freckles has not been the same. She has become inverted. She use to be very chatty but has become silent. She loved chasing flies but now seems uninterested. When i found that Tina Turner was deceased, freckles was laying on her in a comforting way. It was like she knew that something was wrong and was unable to help.

It was so sad. I cried myself a headache. I just hope that Freckles won't grieve herself to death. I heard of some animals doing that literally but I don't know if chicks do that. I'm down to two chicks now and I can't stand to lose another especially from grieving their self to death