Should flock see dead member?

[dannyd21]

I had to remove one member of the flock as she became seriously ill and its not looking great for her Should the flock see their sister before she dies? Should they see her after? Or not at all?

 

[nuthatched]

They don't really care unless you only had 2-3 chickens. If she's been gone a few days already I wouldn't bother.

 

[Debbie292d]

I'm sorry.

I would not show the rest of my chickens. For the most part, most won't notice she's gone. We've had a few pass away in the past and you wouldn't know the difference. They wouldn't understand. Quite honestly, if you left her in the coop to die on the floor, they'd walk on or over her without a care.

Where it matters to the remaining chickens is when it's just one or two, then it's more obvious to them. I've heard of cases where there are two hens, and one dies. The other goes into a depression of sorts. Chickens are social so that's part of it.

 

[GlicksChicks]

They would not care if you showed the hen. And if you show the hen before you cull her, the other chickens will bully her if she has been out of the flock for a while.

I have butchered roosters and other roosters were able to see from a distance and they did not care. The only time they cared was when the chickens freak out at first when you hold them upside down to get them calm.

The only ones who would have any memories of the hen and miss her are the people who cared for her.

 

[MysteryChicken]

My flocks get jumpy when I slaughter chickens, & avoid me for a week after they see it happen.

 

[GlicksChicks]

My flocks get jumpy when I slaughter chickens, & avoid me for a week after they see it happen.

I'm happy my flock doesn't see that. Only other roosters that are being raised for meat as well.

 

[dannyd21]

They don't really care unless you only had 2-3 chickens. If she's been gone a few days already I wouldn't bother.

it was 5 including her so down to 4 and shes only been out of the flock for 24 hours

 

[nuthatched]

it was 5 including her so down to 4 and shes only been out of the flock for 24 hours

They'd just eat her if dead or abuse her if they see she's acting off.

 

[rosemarythyme]

As a general rule they probably don't really care. Yes there's cases where two birds seem more strongly bonded than others and the surviving birds gets upset over the loss of the other, but being realistic, they're more likely to attempt to attack a dying bird or eat a dead one, than mourn it.

 

[Susan Skylark]

Most won’t care, you worry about cannibalism (dead) or bullying (alive), also chance of contagion depending what killed her, I wouldn’t risk it.