Do Poultry Mourn? Lets Hear Your Stories!!

[TwoCrows]

Hello Peeps!

I recently wrote an article on Mourning Poultry and many members left their stories in the comments at the end of the article.....https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/do-poultry-actually-mourn-over-the-loss-of-a-flock-mate

So I thought it might be nice to read all of your stories and would love for you to contribute as well!!

Any of you that have seen similar mourning processes in your flock, please write them up right here on this thread here in the Pictures and Stories Of My Chickens section and I will edit them all into the article!!!

Lets hear from you Peeps!

 

[sourland]

Several years ago I was judging a field trial in Rhode Island. At the exit that I took from I 95 to go to the club a Canada goose had been hit. For four days the mate was either sitting or standing by the side of the dead goose. The morning of the fifth day the mate was no longer there. Mourning?

 

[Goneinc]

Years ago I had a pair of Muscovy ducks. My husband ran over one when he left for work and did not even notice. I heard the duck making a great deal of noise. It was the male hovering over the body of his mate. He would not leave his dead mate all day. I finally could not take it any more and removed the dead female.

At the time I had a few broody hens who had just hatched out some chicks. I think there were about ten chicks a week or so old.
After I removed the female duck the male went in to the chicken coop and killed all the chicks. He had been very docile before that and the ducks and chickens had lived together peacefully. I gave him away after that.

 

[TwoCrows]

Anyone else want to contribute to this thread before I transfer over these stories?

 

[pennyshubby2906]

We had a pair of Lavender Orpingtons. A roo and hen. About 2 months ago our roo was killed by a predator. We thought we had lost our hen as well, but we were able to find her and she was healthy. She had been faithfully laying an egg a day up till that point. After we lost the roo, she stopped laying for a month and a half. She just started laying again. Her attitude didn't really change other than becoming a little more withdrawn, but about the time she started laying again, she came back around stronger, I think she has separation anxiety as well. If we are outside she is right beside us and sticks as close as she can.

 

[Chickenrpoetry]

I lost my Easter Egger, Marigold, to a raccoon. Her sister (more like mother in her eyes,) Henrietta wailed for around two weeks. After that she refused to eat- it broke my heart to watch her mourn.
Her sister Dreamcatcher tried to soothe her by giving her bugs (which was strange because Dreamcatcher never shares,)

Fortunately, Hen got over her grief a little while ago. But sometimes she stops and stares at the place where Marigold used to sit in the coop.

Just thought I'd share- people generally don't believe that poultry mourn.

 

[Suzie]

When Maman died last February...Papa ( her Husband ) would go to her coop every day and call for her...it was heartrending..he died some two months after the demise of Maman...

One of my Ganders died and his mate has not come to terms with her loss...she still ventures to the river where I found his body...

YES..without doubt they do mourn loss...

Thanks for this post Layla...it is very thought provoking and may help people in the future to understand more about their charges...

 

[TwoCrows]

I lost my Easter Egger, Marigold, to a raccoon. Her sister (more like mother in her eyes,) Henrietta wailed for around two weeks. After that she refused to eat- it broke my heart to watch her mourn.
Her sister Dreamcatcher tried to soothe her by giving her bugs (which was strange because Dreamcatcher never shares,)

Fortunately, Hen got over her grief a little while ago. But sometimes she stops and stares at the place where Marigold used to sit in the coop.

Just thought I'd share- people generally don't believe that poultry mourn.

When Maman died last February...Papa ( her Husband ) would go to her coop every day and call for her...it was heartrending..he died some two months after the demise of Maman...

One of my Ganders died and his mate has not come to terms with her loss...she still ventures to the river where I found his body...

YES..without doubt they do mourn loss...

Thanks for this post Layla...it is very thought provoking and may help people in the future to understand more about their charges...

Thanks to the both of you!!

I added these stories to the article!

And all of the above stories can be found in this article as well.

Thank you everyone for your contributions!

 

[socialdougal]

I posted this in my own thread, but seems it has a place here:

We had a pair of free-range, laying Isa Browns who could always be seen scratching around all over the place together.

Then one of them was killed by a feral cat. The evidence was feathers, some of them bloodied, laying in the garden, and plenty of paw prints in the wet earth. The surviving hen was standing alone at the back of the house.

Later that day, I saw the survivor picking up the feathers of the dead hen in the garden. Then she started to call out like she was calling the other hen. If I did not see and hear it myself, I would never have believed it. At the risk of sounding like a soft old git, that's one of the most surprisingly sad events I've personally witnessed.

She is still giving eggs, but now spends most of her time sitting around. Her behaviour is markedly different.

I already abstain from most animal products. If I did not, this would have inspired me to get started. As it happens, I now feel more motivated to abstain completely.

As for our solo hen, she'll get some new company as soon as I make them a safe area to scratch around in.

 

[TwoCrows]

I posted this in my own thread, but seems it has a place here:

We had a pair of free-range, laying Isa Browns who could always be seen scratching around all over the place together.

Then one of them was killed by a feral cat. The evidence was feathers, some of them bloodied, laying in the garden, and plenty of paw prints in the wet earth. The surviving hen was standing alone at the back of the house.

Later that day, I saw the survivor picking up the feathers of the dead hen in the garden. Then she started to call out like she was calling the other hen. If I did not see and hear it myself, I would never have believed it. At the risk of sounding like a soft old git, that's one of the most surprisingly sad events I've personally witnessed.

She is still giving eggs, but now spends most of her time sitting around. Her behaviour is markedly different.

I already abstain from most animal products. If I did not, this would have inspired me to get started. As it happens, I now feel more motivated to abstain completely.

As for our solo hen, she'll get some new company as soon as I make them a safe area to scratch around in.

I am so sorry for your loss.

I added your story to my article.