Recovered chicken being picked on after reintroduction

[chickensinnv]

Hi all,
I have my first flock of 14 hens, they are almost 3 months old. One chicken (Skates) had an illness that required her to be quarantined inside for more than a week. From my research (lots from this site), she had a vitamin deficiency of some sort. She is now recovered and we have returned her to the flock but now is being picked on. She is chased away from food/treats and therefore is spending a lot of time alone. She is my smallest chicken, since her illness, and I really worry she will get sick again if she can’t eat as regularly. We go in the run and make sure she is getting time to eat and drink...mainly by bringing her a mash of food and not letting the others come near her while she eats. Any suggestions are welcome!

 

[Chick-N-Fun]

I would suggest putting her in a wire dog kennel with her own food and water and place the kennel in the run with the flock. That way they can see but not touch her. Then, in the evening, when the rest of the flock is docile and roosting, take her out and put her on the roost with them. This may take a couple of days. You want to reintroduce her without getting attacked. Your flock will get used to her in no time!
Best of luck!!!!

 

[chickensinnv]

Thank you!

 

[TheRealWitwiki]

I have had this happen several times. What I have done and this works for me is to reintroduce the chicken back to the flock outside of the pen in the yard. If they are confined the pecking order kicks in and they will terrorize her all day. They will still pick at her but she will have plenty of space to get away. Throw out plenty of table scraps for everyone and make sure she has a pile away from the others. It takes time and that is just how chickens are. She may sleep alone for several nights while the others are roosting together. Eventually she will work her way back up the pecking order.

 

[chickensinnv]

Thank you, this is very encouraging!

 

[rosemarythyme]

Basically she has to be reintegrated, hence why the recommendations for "see, but don't touch."

In the future you may want to see about setting up an isolation/hospital cage (even a small prefab coop works), inside the coop or run, so that sick birds can be treated while still in view of the flock. The last time I had to do that, I had a pullet isolated in the run for 6 weeks... when she recovered, I simply opened the cage door and she rejoined the others without issue.

 

[aart]

This might help too:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/introducing-a-single-hen-to-an-existing-flock.71997/