I watched the last episode the other day. I hope I don't sound stupid, but I was confused by the whole Hawkeye mental depression. Did Hawk kill the chicken ??
Smother it or something ?? I couldn't tell if he said he killed chicken or the lady holding it. I just wanted to see exactly what happened.

The chicken was actually a baby. Hawkeye told the woman to keep the baby quiet, so the enemy soldiers wouldn't hear the child's cries. So she smothered it.
Hawkeye tried to block the incident out of his mind by convincing himself the baby was a chicken. In doing so he suffered a nervous breakdown.

Thanks. Now I understand all that happened and why he was afraid to go near little kids. Now it makes sense - thanks.