When is it safe for a healing hen to go back outside and rejoin the flock?

[hbhoffman]

So usually when we have an attack there are not survivors. This time there was one. She managed to live through an attack. She was in shock and had a large 3" x 2" gap in her back and her scalp was torn. I disinfected with 50/50 peroxide and water, dried, then put iodine on her then packed the wound with triple antibiotic. At first she could stand and wouldn't really eat until we discovered she loves Cat food (REALLY??? Cat food?? ). She ate some of that and drank red Pedialyte for the first 24 hours then switched to chicken feed mush for the next 5 days. After a few days I thought she would be able to walk because she literally couldn't. Long story short, she has relearned to walk AND ROOST, balance herself, eat poop- like crazy and do all the normal chicken stuff! She has been healing in my bathroom for 2.5/3 weeks and her back wound has almost sealed up completely to a 1/2" x 1/4" gap that seems to not be pulling together. She gets a daily spray of Vetricyn (sp?) and her wound gets packed with triple antibiotic. At what point would you all say she can go back outside to be with the flock? Will there be issues with her rejoining them? Any Ideas or recommendations? We have 2 docile XL roosters, the group of POL hens that she was part of and the 5 hens.
Thanks for reading this!

 

[MommaHen2Many]

I would put her back when I KNEW they wouldnt peck at her. So (for me) that would entail, short visits that are supervised. So I could "rescue" and "retreat" if necessary. I had a hen with a head wound, and I used blue cote (not sure I spelled that right) that coated the wound & the feathers, making it blue. the hens/roos left it alone. She did end up being the bottom of the pecking order when she went back to the group. It had been about the same amount of time that you are talking about.

 

[Tlmcq]

They are going to look at her as a new flock member....and have to introduce her as such. That being said they're gonna Peck at her and any sores she has could be reopened, which could and probably would lead to them relentlessly pecking her wounds...they see red they Peck. I would definitely spray it with some blue kote wound spray...it's for horses but will stain it blue and coat the wound..no red means less likely to Peck it. It has been this long away from flock I would probably wait til she is healed, or start with her reintroduction in a safe but visible to rest of flock...look but no touch. It may take awhile to get her reintroduced and she may be healed completely by then. There are many threads on here about introducing new flock members, which is what she is now that she's been separated a few weeks.

 

[MrPepers]

I would wait until the wound is completely healed and then try to rejoin her with the flock and watch to make sure she isn't getting pecked.

 

[Tlmcq]

@MommaHen2Many brilliant minds think alike...lol
Must been typing at same time too

 

[hbhoffman]

hmm.. might be able to do short visits. Our flock is 35 minutes away due to neighbor issues. Good point and input!
About how long does a wound that size take ( i know not an exact science but trying to guesstimate...).