Fox ripped off a chicken wing

[pwbates]

So I had a chicken loose a wing to a fox attempting to get into the run. It somehow pulled the hardware cloth from the post far enough to where it could reach its grubby little arm in there and snatch a chicken wing. So I removed the injured chicken thinking it was a gonner for sure, and isolated her, dressed her wound with neosporin and vet wrap, and went to work re-securing the chicken run. I picked up some antibiotics at my local agrisupply store, and dissolved them in her water. Well to my surprise my hen has made a very slow but full recovery. The problem is that every time I try to reintroduce her to the other hens, they gang up on her, and continually peck her until I step in and remove her again from the group. The first time I tried it they drew blood from her, so back to isolation she went until that healed. I'm not sure how to get the other hens to accept her again, and if she stays in the house much longer my wife might actually kill her...or me...or both. I don't know if they can sense the weakness, the fact that she has only 1 wing, or if they just wont let her back into the pecking order at all. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[ChicknThief]

Try putting her into an enclosure so that your flock can see, smell, and hear her, but they cannot get to her. Do this until they don't seem to notice her any more. Then move her little separate enclosure INTO the pen with the rest of the flock so that she is in their midst, but they still cannot get to her. Do this until they no longer notice. Then try reintegrating her. Wait until well after dark and put her into the coop with the others so that they wake up together. Good luck!

 

[ChicknThief]

And

 

[pwbates]

Thanks, good idea, think a wire dog crate might work?

 

[ChicknThief]

Yup that should be fine. As long as she has food, water, and a little room to move around.

 

[pwbates]

Thought i'd give you an update. The dog crate worked well. They were really interested in her for the first day, then ignored her on the second and third day. I tried letting her out yesterday, and they did just fine with her. Thanks for the advice!

 

[suezqz_64]

Whew! What a trooper of a hen you have there. Glad they accepted her back.

 

[ChicknThief]

Thought i'd give you an update. The dog crate worked well. They were really interested in her for the first day, then ignored her on the second and third day. I tried letting her out yesterday, and they did just fine with her. Thanks for the advice!

Yay! Gotta love happy ending. So glad it worked out!

 

[ChickNhood]

Congrats on a happy ending!