How to put hen who is now well back with flock?

[barnbum7]

Hello! I am grateful this forum is here. A hen, Lace, started getting ill several days ago. I watched her closely and finally removed her from the flock. She started in a rabbit cage in the coop so others could see her. As she got better, I had her in the chicken tractor so she could be in the sun on grass. It was a little distance from the coop for shade. I had no idea what she had, but she is 100% tonight. I'm so pleased. I always let her loose in the coop in the late afternoons while the others are locked out--and she's finally acting like a chicken--walking around investigating things, rather than standing in one place or laying down.

One morning when this first started, after I'd let the others out to the run, Lace was acting like she wanted to go out too. So, I let her go out--then I ran to let horses out--and came back in 5 minutes. In that time another hen had attacked her and she was in shock. Cowered down and not moving. Her comb was bleeding. That certainly set her back.

Now I'm worried--scared to death to let her go in with the others. I just don't want to see her get attacked again. One hen actually tried to attack her one day when I had picked Lace up in the run.

Tonight, after investigating the coop, Lace went right up to the roost and sat down, like she was telling me she's fine now. I just didn't dare let it happen, so put her back in the cage for tonight. I think she'll be ready to go back in with the flock tomorrow. One side of her comb has darker red spots which I assume are scabs. Should I wait until that is totally gone? How do I proceed?

Thank you!!

 

[ChickNanny13]

You could try putting her in a wire cage with food/water in the coop with the others for a few days, see what the interaction with the rest. If there's no ruckus, maybe at night or early morning before the chickens wake, put her on the roost with the rest. But then again listen/watch for any squabbles. There probably will be some but if there's no injury or blood, it's probably good. Then again, I'm going by what I've read, never had to deal with integration nor reintroduction

 

[Eggcessive]

How long has she been out of the flock? I usually separate them in a dog crate inside the coop or run with the others, so they can see each other for a few days, but where they cannot hurt the other chicken. Then slowly, I would let them out to free range in the early evening while I supervised. Some pecking may occur, but if it gets violent, it may take some more time. If there is a particular bully, it may be good to separate them for a week or so away, to lower their spot in the pecking order. Good luck.

 

[barnbum7]

Hi ChickNanny. Thanks for your reply. I just came in from tucking hens in and Lace was acting unhappy to be in her cage. "Mama! Let me out, it's time to roost!" The other five were already up, so I held my breath and let her out--hoping she knows best. And darn if she didn't fly right up to the roost--between two hens close together lol--and she sat down as if to say "I'm back." I stayed until everyone was settled. So Lace taught me step one. Now for the morning. I'll get all the horse chores done first--so I can stay with hens for awhile to supervise.

 

[barnbum7]

Thank you Eggcessive! That is great advice. I like the idea of putting the bully in a cage if needed. It's been less than a week, maybe three days out--I honestly forgot what day this started. The rabbit cage she was in was in the coop all late afternoon to evening--and all night. We have a silo room between the coop and run, and she was in there for one day. And she was always in the coop (in the cage) in the morning. The others didn't pay much attention to her the last two days.

Lace told me tonight, by her actions, that she wanted to roost--so she's up with them now. I will for sure keep a close watch on them in the morning.

 

[ChickNanny13]

Sounds like Lace knew better Hope all works out tomorrow, although sounds like it will

 

[Eggcessive]

Three days is not that long of a time to be out of the flock, so it may be easier to get her back into the pecking order than I thought. I have a lot of broody hens every summer, and they sometimes spend 5 days out, and usualy go back with no problems. Let us know how she does.

 

[barnbum7]

Thanks for the replies. So it's been an interesting morning. I headed out at 5:30 so I could get horses done before hens would move. lol I spent 90 minutes straight--then have made 412 visits since. ;-)

Lace came down from roost, but when the other five scrambled to the run for the handful (literally) of scratch grains and black oil sunflower seeds, she didn't come out. She has not yet left the coop. She's contented herself with scratching and preening inside in the sand. There's food and water in there. It's actually pretty big.

She's made little clucking noises, but when the hen who attacked her (Ramona) came back into the coop--she doubled her clucks and jumped up on the rabbit cage I'd left in there. At one point R went towards her and I just shooed her away. All the other hens have been kind. And--so interesting--the last time I went out was the 2nd time all day I've seen R in the coop; I noticed the other hens stand between Lace and Ramona the whole time she was there. Lace is definitely keeping an eye on her, but it seems so are the other hens.

So--I will continue to check until I'm 100% not worried, but hopefully that time is fast approaching.

 

[barnbum7]

And--Ramona attacked her again in the coop in the late afternoon. Thankfully I was there. I watched from outside the coop (ours is a bubble in a barn and has hardware cloth across the top) to see if she'd behave. She didn't. I was in there when it started, so she only got a feather, but she wanted to come back for more. I had to shoo her out of the coop with a rubber bowl. The brat.

So I put Lace in the cage for safety for the last hour of the day; I think she was relieved. Then I let her out when it was time to roost. And Ramona went in. Now SHE is the one who is in the tractor--in time out. I hope this resolves itself soon.

Lace will not leave the coop/silo room. She quite content scratching about in the coop--but she's not getting any sunlight. It's been super hot the past few days, so not as big a deal. She has a mental block from the first attack. Poor baby. I've learned to trust her choices, so I'm not forcing the issue. I did try to usher her towards the door to the run since Ramona wasn't there, she was having none of that. So I'll let her figure that out. I'll do my best to keep her safe in the meantime. She has food, water, a fan... and the others wander in/out all day, so she has company.

 

[Eggcessive]

Sounds like Ramona needs to spend a week away from the flock, completely isolated from them where she cannot be seen or heard. That might lower her standing in the pecking order. Then I would bring Lace out, and make sure no one else starts bothering her. This is a common problem in some flocks, and you hate to see one picked on. Hopefully, it will work out, but some people end up having to rehome the bully, or the one who gets picked on.