How to help a grieving chicken ?

[PuddleEndChicken]

I have two identical white hybrids (Light Sussex/Rhode Island Red crosses) that have been together at least 3 years since we bought them from the same supplier, they are part of a flock of 18. In recent weeks, one had some sort of respiratory illness (not contagious rest don't have it) and they seemed to be together more often and sleep on the floor together when that one was too weak to roost up. Two days ago she died but the other one stayed with her and I found them in the morning, one dead and the other with her wings spread around her . It was very moving.

I wondered if she was grieving her friend so I left them together for a while - have other people had any experience of grieving chickens - how long does it last ?

The next day the grieving one is still standing next to the dead one and continually rubs her face on her and puts her wing round her and doesn't leave her. All night she stood next to the body and has hardly eaten or drunk anything. I feel so sorry for her. She's just standing in a quiet spot in the barn with the body and not going back to the flock or the rooster.

I really need to remove the dead one now to avoid disease, but I'm worried how it will impact the other one. What I can do to help her, any suggestions ?

Thanks in advance.

 

[aart]

Yes, remove the dead bird and let the other carry on.
It might take awhile, but she'll get over it.

 

[I Love Feather Babies]

I have two identical white hybrids (Light Sussex/Rhode Island Red crosses) that have been together at least 3 years since we bought them from the same supplier, they are part of a flock of 18. In recent weeks, one had some sort of respiratory illness (not contagious rest don't have it) and they seemed to be together more often and sleep on the floor together when that one was too weak to roost up. Two days ago she died but the other one stayed with her and I found them in the morning, one dead and the other with her wings spread around her . It was very moving.

I wondered if she was grieving her friend so I left them together for a while - have other people had any experience of grieving chickens - how long does it last ?

The next day the grieving one is still standing next to the dead one and continually rubs her face on her and puts her wing round her and doesn't leave her. All night she stood next to the body and has hardly eaten or drunk anything. I feel so sorry for her. She's just standing in a quiet spot in the barn with the body and not going back to the flock or the rooster.

I really need to remove the dead one now to avoid disease, but I'm worried how it will impact the other one. What I can do to help her, any suggestions ?

Thanks in advance.

Remove the deceased one at night and put the other back on the roost. Try not to shine too much light around the coop while doing it. If she doesn’t exit the coop in the morning, you may need to physically move her out with the others.

 

[Callender Girl]

I'm very sorry for you and your remaining girl. The scenes you described are heartbreaking. And, there are folks in the world who don't think animals have emotions. Ridiculous!

I do think your girl will eventually move on, with time. Over the winter, I lost one of my two remaining sheep. Rachel came here when she was just a few months old 5 years ago and had lived with Betsy ever since. When Betsy died, Rach tried to stop my friend and me from removing the body, standing over Bets and blocking us. Don't tell me she wasn't upset about the loss of her "foster mother."

She's doing better now, but it didn't happen overnight. On the other hand, MY chickens seem oblivious when they lose a coop mate. Everybody, and everything, it seems, grieves in their own way.

 

[PuddleEndChicken]

I'm very sorry for you and your remaining girl. The scenes you described are heartbreaking. And, there are folks in the world who don't think animals have emotions. Ridiculous!

I do think your girl will eventually move on, with time. Over the winter, I lost one of my two remaining sheep. Rachel came here when she was just a few months old 5 years ago and had lived with Betsy ever since. When Betsy died, Rach tried to stop my friend and me from removing the body, standing over Bets and blocking us. Don't tell me she wasn't upset about the loss of her "foster mother."

She's doing better now, but it didn't happen overnight. On the other hand, MY chickens seem oblivious when they lose a coop mate. Everybody, and everything, it seems, grieves in their own way.

@Callender Girl thank you, and so sorry to hear about the loss of your sheep. I'm sure animals do "feel" these things. We've got another farmer's sheep in the fields next to us and when the lambs are sent off to m-a-r-k-e-t the mothers are disturbed for days, same with horses when they wean the foals and separate them from their mothers. But I have to say this is quite an extreme reaction by my chicken - has never happened before and I've had around 70 chickens over the years.

 

[PuddleEndChicken]

@Callender Girl thank you, and so sorry to hear about the loss of your sheep. I'm sure animals do "feel" these things. We've got another farmer's sheep in the fields next to us and when the lambs are sent off to m-a-r-k-e-t the mothers are disturbed for days, same with horses when they wean the foals and separate them from their mothers. But I have to say this is quite an extreme reaction by my chicken - has never happened before and I've had around 70 chickens over the years.

Just to update, it took her about a week to move on but now she's back eating and pecking with the flock. I've just never seen anything like that before !

 

[Callender Girl]

So glad to hear your girl is doing well! Thanks for the update.