Chicken refuses to reintegrate

[southernsibe]

I isolated one of my brahma hens because she was pretty badly torn up. It seemed to be mostly due to being one of the favorite hens. I brought her into the garage, and tended her wounds. She is doing fabulously. All except, she refuses to go back to the flock. I have tried putting her back at night and during the day. I let them run around during the day so I thought, perhaps she needs to go back slowly. So I put her out during the day with the rest of the chickens. I find her holed up in some odd places and she stays near the garage door and begs to come inside. If I do open the garage door, she walks in and basically acts like it is her home. No fear, and very much an attitude of, "well what took so long to open the door". I love my chickens, but in all honesty this isn't one that I had particularly bonded with. The only other thing that I can see contributing is that I have a silky hen with three chicks in the garage as well. Does anyone have any ideas as to how I can convince this chicken she is not a house pet?
thanks
Rachel

 

[rufus]

Can you blame her. She is not stupid; she doesn't want to be beaten up again. She likes administrative segregation. She has had it with the general population. It is chicken prison, you know.

Rufus

 

[bigzio]

Yep, it's really funny sometimes that certain ones in the flock all of sudden want to be the favorites in the flock by you even though they weren't the ones you chose.
We have two light brahma hens that grew on us to the point that they do receive a few extras daily. My flock is only Lt brahmas and we have the favorites we chose and the favorites that chose us.
She could be on the bottom of the pecking order, and others are making sure she stays there.

Hens that don't fight for position in the order always end up at the bottom with the others constantly reminding her that. If she can get away when bullied then she will be ok. If cornered and subject to pecking that won't let up, it could be trouble for her.


Gotta love those pretty hens!

bigzio