Can anyone help??

[Routhfamilyfarm]

This is my second time raising chickens, but my first raising Americana's. I have four. About four to five weeks ago I noticed two of them bleeding with skin missing on their backs right before their tail's. So I seperated each of them into different cages. A few days ago I tried to re introduce them while outside of their coop in a big fenced in yard.They didn't like either but as soon as I put one in particular down almost every other hen (and roosters) viciously attacked her as well as the other hen too??! However I found out that the two injured can be put together. I've never had a problem like this and have no clue why they're behaving this way. Any advise??

 

[azygous]

What you're describing is typical of a flock when a couple of it's members have been kept away for a spell. When these chickens are re-introduced, the pecking order demands that it be re-asserted.

Any time you introduce new chickens, it's best to do it slowly, letting them remain in a cage or crate inside the run or coop for a time so everyone can get re-acquainted. There may even be squabbling between the chickens on both sides of the crate. But when you put them back into the general population, the conflict is usually minimal.

How long ago did you introduce these hens that had damaged backs for the first time? Did you segregate them or just put them right in with the existing flock? Do you have any idea how they may have gotten injured?

Before you try to re-integrate, paint Blu-kote on their broken skin, and on any exposed skin. It minimizes injuries which can excite the rest of the flock to keep injuring them.

Then introduce them slowly as I described. Chances are it was rooster mating that damaged their backs. You need to trim spurs and talon nails perhaps. Saddles for over-mated hens may also be in order. You might want to segregate your roosters as a safeguard for your hens.