On Thanksgiving we had to remove a hen from our flock due to an injury. She had a large laceration down her back (we think one of the roosters was mating her and started to slide and accidentally scraped her up in the process). Roxy was bleeding and very thirsty when we got home late that afternoon. We cleaned her up and put her in our brooder/quarantine box so she could heal and not get pecked to death by the others. She progressed very well, eating good, drinking plenty of water, reacted the same to me and my husband (she's a very friendly/loving bird), and moving about in the box.
We recently started free-ranging the birds on Saturday and Sunday afternoons while we are at home and since Roxy had healed up we let her out to play with the others under supervision and to get re-acquainted with the flock. The younger birds that we just introduced in September had no problem with her and would eat grass around her and treated her like they always had (pretty much ignoring her or eating grass and digging through leaves together). When Roxy came around the side of the fence though she noticed the door and went into the run. Our bantam rooster had been making some noise once he saw her outside the fence ("cluck-cluck-cluck-grrrr").. this is the same noise he makes when he's doing his courting dance. When she got completely in the run he attempted to mate her and then one of the other birds (Lisa) saw her and pecked at her until Roxy layed completely down limp. My husband walked over and motioned Lisa away. Then our Bantam Rooster mated her (successfully) and while he was doing his business the other hen - Lisa came back and started attacking Roxy's neck and comb so much so that the rooster ran her off, but by this time Roxy's comb was bleeding.
We removed Roxanne back to the barn and cleaned her up, but now we are faced with a bit of an issue with her and Lisa (none of the other chickens seemed to mind that Roxy was back - the rooster actually seemed excited - she is his favorite hen). Obviously there was some sort of flock dynamic that we had missed, she is fairly easy going and about mid-way through the pecking order before being removed, but Lisa seems to be either threatened or jealous and trying to kill her? What are your thoughts?
My husband and I were thinking about giving a 20 minute supervised visit with the rest of the flock again today (outside the run and away from Lisa) during free-range time, and then letting Roxy out for 15 minutes every night the rest of the week (outside the fencing/run) where the rest of the flock could see her and talk to her but not get at her and try to re-acquaint them that way. Suggestions? Is this a bad idea, good one, needs to be modified or completely changed?
Thanks for your help.
We recently started free-ranging the birds on Saturday and Sunday afternoons while we are at home and since Roxy had healed up we let her out to play with the others under supervision and to get re-acquainted with the flock. The younger birds that we just introduced in September had no problem with her and would eat grass around her and treated her like they always had (pretty much ignoring her or eating grass and digging through leaves together). When Roxy came around the side of the fence though she noticed the door and went into the run. Our bantam rooster had been making some noise once he saw her outside the fence ("cluck-cluck-cluck-grrrr").. this is the same noise he makes when he's doing his courting dance. When she got completely in the run he attempted to mate her and then one of the other birds (Lisa) saw her and pecked at her until Roxy layed completely down limp. My husband walked over and motioned Lisa away. Then our Bantam Rooster mated her (successfully) and while he was doing his business the other hen - Lisa came back and started attacking Roxy's neck and comb so much so that the rooster ran her off, but by this time Roxy's comb was bleeding.
We removed Roxanne back to the barn and cleaned her up, but now we are faced with a bit of an issue with her and Lisa (none of the other chickens seemed to mind that Roxy was back - the rooster actually seemed excited - she is his favorite hen). Obviously there was some sort of flock dynamic that we had missed, she is fairly easy going and about mid-way through the pecking order before being removed, but Lisa seems to be either threatened or jealous and trying to kill her? What are your thoughts?
My husband and I were thinking about giving a 20 minute supervised visit with the rest of the flock again today (outside the run and away from Lisa) during free-range time, and then letting Roxy out for 15 minutes every night the rest of the week (outside the fencing/run) where the rest of the flock could see her and talk to her but not get at her and try to re-acquaint them that way. Suggestions? Is this a bad idea, good one, needs to be modified or completely changed?
Thanks for your help.
