Help with my attitude

[masterchef]

This is an odd thing to ask but hoped you would help me with a problem. I have just three hens, brought home together 3 years ago and living very happily in a large free range garden. I absolutely loved the hens, so funny, such a joy and they brought such fun, I am sure you will recognise the feelings.

A few weeks ago my favorite hen, because she was cuddly and the smallest we seemed to have a bond, developed an infection on her vent. While we check the hens over every morning nothing was noticed that day, around two hours later I went to see them and found her under the coop with lots of blood around her vent. She was immediately taken to the vets who said it was likely an infection easily treated with antibiotics BUT the blood was from the other two hens pecking at her, they ripped her vent to shreds, and while we tried to treat her over 7 days she did not survive.

My problem is I cant forgive the two remaining hens. I know it sounds odd but I look at them and feel so angry, be aware I would never hurt then, but I cant seem to get over feeling they killed my lovely girl and I feel so sad about it all. Can anyone sympathise, offer advice or words of wisdom that will allow me to get back to loving and enjoying my hens again? I know I could potentially rehome if I cant get over this feeling but I need to try to manage my feelings first and try to over come irrational thought process.
Thank you for reading x

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

I don't know how helpful this will be but it has helped me to realize that no matter how attached we get or what impact our chickens have on our lives at the end of the day they are just little dinosaurs. They don't peck each other to death because they are angry or jealous, they are just acting on instinct. And sometimes despite our best efforts and intentions, chickens die. One of my first hens (a Salmon Faverolle) was driven away from the flock by another of my hens (a RIR) who wanted to take her place as boss chicken. Driving her away left her open to being predated by something that was after my chickens at the time. I looked for her everywhere before bed and couldn't find her. I found her the next day, eaten by something. I don't keep RIRs to this day but I don't blame the chicken or myself for what happened. It was just nature. In hindsight there are things I could have done differently but that's the case with a lot of things about raising chickens. We do the best we can in Jurassic world.

 

[SourRoses]

It's only been a little while since this very upsetting loss. I would suggest you give yourself some space to feel what you feel without trying to correct it. Control it, yes, but change it, no. It's not wrong to be mad.

I would also suggest you rehome these hens. There are plenty of good homes out there where the girls can have a fresh chance.

Start fresh with some new chicks so you can fall in love all over again. There's no point in this hobby if it's not fun, and you deserve to have some fun with it.

P.S. Try to pick a known gentle breed since now you know how much it matters to you that your hens be nice to each other (English Orps, so far, are shocking me with their gentle natures).

 

[ChickyCh00k]

I'm so sorry about your sweet hen. That must be such a terrible feeling. It's difficult to think that our beloved animals could possibly do anything violent or destructive to one of their own (or to us). Unfortunately, they're still 'animals' and they have animalistic instincts and behaviors that often seem to come out of nowhere, leaving us feeling dumbfounded (and angry/headtbroken/frustrated, etc).

I've read so many stories of family puppies and dogs terrorizing and/or killing their chickens. I can't imagine how devastating that would be, and yet, we must come to the realization that the animal isn't "bad" or "evil", it was following its animal instincts. These dogs don't intend to cause harm to their owners (and in many cases they may not even be trying to harm the chicken(s)), rather, they are controlled by their instincts in those moments.

Similarly, if your chickens really did begin to pick at the sweet hen's vent, they may have done so out of instinct, not malice. Sometimes chickens can sense when another chicken is weakened (by parasites, illness, or some other underlying cause), and they begin to pick on that bird. If your hens all seemed 'normal' when this happened, and there wasn't any bullying going on prior to this incident, then they likely noticed something about that bird that was 'off'. Perhaps she had a small prolapse and the other chickens were drawn to the redness (again this is their instinct, not meaness or malice). She could have had something going on that you weren't able to see - it's not your fault or the other hens, it's just part of nature.

I agree with SourRoses, that you may want to looking into rehoming the other two hens. Not only for your own grief, but for the hens' well-being too. Chickens are flock animals that are very social, so having only two can be hard on them (and you). It might behoove you to give them to someone who has more chickens (who will also love them, of course). And then maybe start anew with baby chicks - I believe 4-5 is the recommended minimum.

Give yourself grace and time to heal. And hopefully you can find forgiveness for your other birds (even if you rehome), as resentment towards them won't change what happened and it only serves to prolong your own suffering. Best of luck as you navigate this emotional journey.

 

[masterchef]

Thank you all for your helpful, and none judgemental, advice. I will take sometime to consider your comments and see how things go. Most kind x

 

[Mrs. K]

Don't keep birds you don't like. For any reason. Just a waste of time. People feel guilty about this, but it is unnecessary.

Do consider different breeds, and start over. Just sell them.

Mrs K

 

[igorsMistress]

I’m so sorry, and I completely understand where you’re coming from. Red attracts their attention and the remaining two were just doing what comes naturally to them.

 

[RoyalChick]

So sorry this happened and I totally understand.
A different situation, and they both died, but one of my favorites attacked a very sick young chicken of mine and I am sure hastened her death, so I do understand what you are feeling.
I would say two things. Give yourself and the hens some time. Spend some time with them and watching them. They may win you around.
And of course you know, but remind yourself, it isn’t really their fault in a human way. They were just being chickens. It is who they are.

 

[Pghelp]

I hear you and am so sorry for your loss. I agree with others who suggested you rehome these hens. Perhaps you could start fresh with baby chicks or pullets you could raise together. Do some research on breeds that appeal to you by personality not appearance. Two of the meanest chickens I’ve owned were a Rhode Island Red and a Barred Rock. For that reason I’ll never raise those breeds again. My experience has been that production hens who were bred to lay daily just aren’t as nice as some of the heritage breeds. With heritage breeds you get fewer eggs but more peace in the run.

You’re never going to be able to trust these hens again if you add to the flock so why not give them away and start fresh? Peaceful breeds I love are Marans, Orpingtons, and some Easter Eggers, and of course your Salmon Favarolles. Best of luck to you!