Ideas for a Chicken in Mourning

[Sc00ter]

We raised Olive & Henrietta from chicks. They are 12 weeks old. They never went anywhere with out the other. Monday we went inside for supper came out and Henrietta was gone

and Olive was a franticly pacing in and out of the coop. Olive cried and paced looking for Henrietta.

The next morning she just squawked and chattered looking for Henrietta. We bought two more chickens to keep her company. And she will have nothing to do with them. She has taken solace in following me and my husband around our yard. Olive did not like to be petted before and now she climbs in my husbands lap and lays down on him and stands on his shoulder.

Will she warm up to the new hens? They are older than her but I couldn't stand her being so lonely. And she was trying to friend my Border Collie and he was mortified that she kept walking up to him. (We had issues with him trying to herd them so he knows they are off limits and now she keeps sneaking up behind him

Anybody dealt with a mourning chicken?

 

[Kevin565]

I think over time she warm up to the others for companionship.

 

[TheSpiceGirls]

Yes, she should warm up to them eventually. But it will take time. I lost a hen earlier this year and it was brutal to watch the others. Try hand feeding them treats together so they get used to each other.

Also, when the others lay, one will go to lay and then the two will be out together and that is when I found mine slowly getting used to the other hens and forming new friendships.

 

[Sc00ter]

They new chickens don't come anywhere close to us yet. I am hoping they will warm up to us also. As it stands no when they in the Coop Olive comes out and when they come out she goes in. And when they are playing in the yard when they come towards here she jumps in my husbands lap.

Thank you for replying. It has been heartbreaking watching her mourn her sister. I will let you know how she does in the coming days.