Help! How to cure a broken heart!

[Igofastandwin]

We have 2 girls that are 18 weeks old that were the best of friends, truly like " tic & tac" if you found one the other was right there. They were both raised together from a few days old and truly are family pets, just as much as the dog and cat.
On Valentine's Day had the unfortunate experience of a coyote scaling our 8' wall to our backyard and got one of ours girls! Besides my family being devastated, especially my 10 year old daughter, my remaining girl (Ruby) is just besides herself. She won't eat unless hand fed and not anything like she's used to eating. When we bring her out of the coop she just follows me around (I've always been the favorite). When she makes any noise it sounds so sad, when in the coop she just sits on the ground staring out the front waiting for her friend. We have given her lots of love and treats the last couple of days and yesterday we brought home 2 more babies (1 weeks old), something we were going to do anyways and she is just not interested, which didn't surprise us, because of the age difference. We are hoping as the babies get older she might be more interested. Prior to the event, she used to be ready to come out of the coop first thing in the morning, the last couple of days we have had to bring her out of coop, if not she just lays in the nesting box. It's so sad!

Help, does anyone have any ideas as to how to help heal our baby's broken heart??

 

[SW31]

How very sad. When one of a pair had to go to the vets for treatment the other one would comfort herself that her friend was there by staring at her reflection in the glass door of our wine cooler or in any other reflective surfaces. Perhaps if you can get a children safe mirror for her to look at she will think her friend is still there.

 

[Abriana]

I’m so sorry a mirror would probably help. Any full grown hens near you that the owner would be willing to lend to you until those chicks grow up?

 

[Igofastandwin]

How very sad. When one of a pair had to go to the vets for treatment the other one would comfort herself that her friend was there by staring at her reflection in the glass door of our wine cooler or in any other reflective surfaces. Perhaps if you can get a children safe mirror for her to look at she will think her friend is still there.

Thanks for the great idea! I will try !!

 

[Igofastandwin]

I’m so sorry a mirror would probably help. Any full grown hens near you that the owner would be willing to lend to you until those chicks grow up?

No other hens around to borrow, at least that we know of

 

[Hybridchucks]

Aw I'm sorry... that's dreadful... hope you find an alternative.

 

[Birdinhand]

wow, sorry to hear about your and your hen's loss of such a great pal. Is it possible that she got hurt in the scurry, maybe give her a good solid inspection and make sure she is not nursing an injury as well as a broken heart. attacks from predators can be very traumatic, sometimes leaving the living in a kind of PTSD state for a while. she will probably come around with time but a new companion her own size would probably speed things up. maybe try craig's list for a giveaway. if not, then maybe keep the hen and the chicks enclosed together for a while to build a sense of security and hopefully some kind of bonding. if she is not outright hostile toward the chicks, that's a positive!

 

[Peckadoodle]

Had the same experience and the one left behind (Buffy) would not even come out of the coop nor would she eat very much even when her feed was put inside. Probably both fear and being alone. We got her a friend and put the new one on the roosting bar next to her at night. They bonded almost immediately. Buffy came out of the coop the very next morning. She seems happy now and even laying again. The cutest thing is that the new hen hides her head in Buffy's feathers at night. Chicks can make new friends!

 

[Fluffychickensflock]

So sorry When our rooster lost his two hens to a bobcat, he was very sad, so we got him two sixth month olds. He has taken to them and loves them. I hope your girl cheers up soon!

 

[Maryandgailthedog]

Does she lay eggs?? Well if she does you could try either get a cockerel or buy some fertile eggs and see if she sits on them and raising chicks might make her love them and forget the loss. So sorry that she passed