Aggressive Behavior in Recovering Hen

[firstimechixmom]

One of my hens recently endured a horrible flystrike. She is the one in my flock that won't let me touch her, which has been do-able because she's also very food-driven and I could always coax her back to the coop or trick-grab her if needed, etc. She is (was) always the chubby, greedy one of the bunch. When I realized she was in need of assistance, she had noticably lost some heft and the damage was pretty gotesque. The first night we cleaned her up was very traumatic for her - she went from alert to just laying on her side with raspy breathing. I'm sure it was very painful, but it is hard to say if it was due to pain or something more. I honestly didn't think she was going to make it.

Fast-forward. It's been almost two weeks and I'm happy to say she's doing really well. She's been inside and received lots of TLC in the form of baths, Veterycin, vitamins, special foods, and baby aspirin for the first few days. All that remains is a large scab below her vent.

And her bad attitude.

She's never been particular "friendly", but every time I even look over the side of her box, she grumbles and pecks angrily. As her healing progressed, I thought perhaps she might have had an injury, since every time I'd look at her she seemed a little lopsided. Until I realized she was dropping one shoulder every time she saw me. Then it occurred to me this was her threatening me.

I decided it was time for her to have some outside time, so I set up a fenced area for her and her other two coopmates (I didn't want to have to chase her down when playtime was over). While I was carrying her outside to join them, she started growling, which I've actually never heard before. While I expected I might have to have to protect the sick one from a little bullying because she wasn't 100%, boy was I shocked when I put her down. She took one big poop, dropped her shoulder, and went violent on the biggest of the two. This wasn't just a little pecking and jumping around - there were feathers flying.

Now why in the world would a "sick" chicken attack another hen she is so obviously going to lose to? Is it just because she knows she's in a precarious flock dynamic and "strike first" is the best course of action? Or could this be trauma-related aggression?

How in the world am I going to re-integrate these girls?

 

[coach723]

This kind of thing happens when reintegrating birds that have been separated. It sounds like she was the top hen before, and it doing her best to get back there. This is instinctive with them, hard wired, and human logic does not apply. I would get a wire crate, and put her in the crate in the run with the others, with her own food and water. Let her stay there until things calm down some. Alternately you can fence of part of the area and put her in there, so they share fence line and can see each other, feed them on the fence line on their respective sides, so they are eating 'together', but no one can be hurt. If you do the fencing you have to make sure no one can fly over. Once things calm down, there is not any posturing, charging, etc going on, then you try short periods together while you supervise, and gradually increase the times until all is well. The actual personalities and temperaments will determine how long it takes. Sometimes it can be a very quick process, sometimes it takes longer. There is no way to rush it really. There are going to be some pecking order spats, it's a given. As long as it's short and over, a peck and a run, a short boxing match, etc, let it happen so they can work it out. If it's an all out assault, blood is being drawn, someone is just getting the snot beat out of them, someone is getting hurt, then it's too soon. Even in a well established flock there is some pecking order stuff every day, birds get corrected by higher ranking birds all the time. But it should be quick and over, with no real injuries.

 

[firstimechixmom]

Thank you @coach723!

 

[LaFleche]

She took one big poop, dropped

There might be some broody hormones adding to her overall dominant and aggressive behaviour.