Do chickens mourn the death of their coop mates?

[Silkiesaz]

My poor little “special needs” Polish chicken Squiggy died a week ago. She shared an “apartment” in the coop with her “sisters” Lenny a Polish chicken and Elvis the Brahma. The other 7 chickens livein a separate apartment. Squiggy always was a bit frail, especially last summer when she had two episodes of what I call heat exhaustion. None of the other chickens had any issues like her. She did fine in the cold weather. I babied her quite a bit more than the others.
Last week, I had to stay at my mom’s house for four days due to a family emergency. My husband took wonderful care of my chickens but on the last day, he called me and said that he found Squiggy sitting on her nest not moving. She was dead. She had been fine that morning and laid an egg. She hadn’t been grooming her head feathers the way she should for a few weeks. I had to clean them for her. I came home that evening.
ANYWAY…. We cleaned out their part of the coop and replaced the straw so they wouldn’t smell her, just in case it bothered them. Lenny looked for her and acted a bit nervous until the next day. Elvis the Brahma went into mourning and wouldn’t eat or drink. She would lay in the corner of the run with her little head on the fencing looking over in the direction where Squiggy is buried. I would stand her up and she would walk over to her water and just stand there. She always talks but for two days she would open her beak and no sound came out. I began spoon feeding her electrolyte water and she drank it as long as I gave it to her then go back to her corner and mourn some more. She refused everything I know she likes to eat, until the third day, I held out earth worms and she came over and ate three. I was so relieved!! She is back to her regular behavior and talking again but has not laid one egg since Squiggy died. One other of my chickens, Cow the Easter Egger hasn’t laid an egg since then either.
What can I do to get them to lay their eggs again? Any ideas?

Squiggy, Lenny and Elvis
Squiggy and Elvis View attachment 3172118CowView attachment 3172130View attachment 3172137

I am sorry for your loss, it sounds like your other chickens really loved Squiggy.

 

[MeeMawsChicks]

I know. My husband can't understand how I can be attached to 3 dozen (+/-) of them.

My husband didn’t want me to get any last year but when I got them in the mail and we ended up with all of them in the brooder in our bathroom, he saw how they have personalities. He quickly changed his mind. Cow the Easter Egger is his special pick because she is the lowest one in the pecking order of the larger group I have. He gives her extra dandelions and other treats.

 

[MeeMawsChicks]

I am sorry for your loss, it sounds like your other chickens really loved Squiggy.

Thank you very much! Elvis considers herself as either the mamma hen or the big sister to the two Polish. She always kept track of where each one of them was and she wouldn’t go to bed until they were going as well. They wouldn’t go to bed unless she was going up the ramp to bed. Now she only has Lenny to keep track of. The other 7 chickens are in the same coop but with a divider made from hardware cloth to keep the Polish chickens safe from the “Big 7” girls. They also have separate runs.

 

[janiedoe]

My husband didn’t want me to get any last year but when I got them in the mail and we ended up with all of them in the brooder in our bathroom, he saw how they have personalities. He quickly changed his mind. Cow the Easter Egger is his special pick because she is the lowest one in the pecking order of the larger group I have. He gives her extra dandelions and other treats.

My husband was actually the one who wanted chickens first. When there were fewer, he enjoyed them. Our first rooster was killed by a hawk and he distanced himself after that. Now they are all mine. He does talk to them though and knows several of their names.

 

[MeeMawsChicks]

It's extremely messed up that people think of chickens as just a thing you keep for eggs and meat and not as pets. I would physically not function if any of my 3 chickens died and some people never try to understand that chickens are animals too with feelings! So sorry for your loss, fly high squiggy!

Thank you very much!

 

[MeeMawsChicks]

My husband was actually the one who wanted chickens first. When there were fewer, he enjoyed them. Our first rooster was killed by a hawk and he distanced himself after that. Now they are all mine. He does talk to them though and knows several of their names.

I had to laugh the other evening because I heard our neighbor down over the hill calling his chickens in by yelling “RiddleRiddleRiddle!” Then my husband comes over to our coop and says, “BoogaBoogaBooga!” to ours. Here are two grown men who are contractors talking to their chickens in some crazy language! I’m not even going to get into how they call the cats!!

 

[MeeMawsChicks]

Cow the Easter Egger laid her first egg today since Squiggy died!! I am so relieved!!
Elvis looked like she was finally checking out the nest to lay an egg. Maybe hearing Cow singing after she laid her egg got Elvis thinking about it

 

[Henhouse Harlot]

Thank you so much! Not everyone understands how a person can get attached to a chicken.

Agreed.
Also, when I've lost chickens in the past, I'm convinced the flock mourns. I've seen it happen a few times now!

 

[Mrs. K]

Mine seem discombobulated for a day. But never like what has been described.

How hot is it in Ohio? Mine are hardly eating anything... we are so darn hot here.

 

[MeeMawsChicks]

Mine seem discombobulated for a day. But never like what has been described.

How hot is it in Ohio? Mine are hardly eating anything... we are so darn hot here.

The weather has been up and down, which is typical for Ohio) my other chickens have been slacking off somewhat as well. I began putting ice in their water on the really hot days and they really like it. They think it’s like bobbing for apples to peck at the large chunks of ice. I don’t worry about them overheating as much. The great news is that Elvis finally laid her first egg two days ago and then again yesterday! I think things are back to normal in the coop again!