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Kathymary said:
Hi, everyone ... Ariel is looking far better now.. there are only a few places on her comb where the blood/medicine is still caked and I can't seem to get that off without hurting her. Slowly its just falling off. Her neck feathers are growing back and no dried blood, there. She seems restless and miserable and I visit her a few times a day and hold and pet her... I don't know if that is good or silly of me. I think it comforts me more than her. It is going to rain with freezing temps here the next few days. Yes, snow is a possiblity. This early? Yes. Part of me thinks I should reintroduce her now. Part is apprehensive and very concerned that it is not yet. Is caution better or is she suffering because she is away from her usual home?

Can anyone give me some extra advice. could put her in the coop today in the cat carrier (now officially a chicken carrier!) If you think I am hesitating out of fear, you would be right. A friend gave me a wooden box and I think that will be my ultimate tool Give her someplace to hide if the other chickens give her grief.
Thank you again... OH and i just looked out the window towards the coop - it looks like a young deer found it's way into the compound. :confused::lau
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Definitely introduce her slowly, the other birds very well may attack her. Can you section off space in the coop or run so they can see but not touch her for a week or so? This will really help slow the aggression down.
 
Hi, everyone... Ariel is looking far better... her neck feathers are growing back. I may start introducing her back into the flock Next week. I am shopping for a kennel or bird cage... I think I may keep it in the chicken coop permanently? I've been watching videos.. some discourage me terribly, others give me hope everything will turn out OK. Ive actually been tempted to buy a cage that is for house kept pet birds. I am puzzled what would be best but I'll figure it out. I feel I am way over my head on this subject but that has been normal for 2020. This year has been one of transitions, tears and challenges.
our weather changed very quickly. It is no longer a pleasant fall... it is nearly winter weather. we were at 17-19 degrees F. last night. (I live in South central Washington state near the Columbia)
 
I think I am starting to realize that.. we had few problems for the first few years but when I replaced the flooring I think it upset the hens and Ariel disappeared at night maybe 3 times. I was upset but I couldn't find her before sunset and I really didn't want to be in the forest alone. We had cougar problems this summer.
When she returned one day, I found her fighting Blondie through the netting .. they were both bloody around the head and beak. I cleaned them up. Blondie didn't have any problems with her nest mates but Ariel looked awful! Hence, I joined your site. I remembered researching questions for my husband.
What do you advise? She seemed fine for several years. I have honestly thought about buying her a real bird cage and bringing her inside but I don't know how my 2 cats would respond to a chicken in the house, even a small one. That might be 'from the frying pan into the fire' scenario. And would Ariel be happy? I couldn't let her fly around the house. She always seemed to love her independence and freedom. I am sorry we did this now, but such is life. Sometimes we do unwise things. :confused:
It seems the general advice to reintroduce her into the flock, once she is healed, and hope for the best. They seem to be settling down and accepting the changes. Maybe things can get back to normal?
 
Hi, everyone... Ariel is back to her cute, sweet normal. She is very restless. I have actually held her for a few minutes every evening. It was for me, more, than her. I know there is just a little bird brain in there, but, well, I like her. I feel silly, but that is that. A hen buddy.

Here is the plan. We have have a decent fall week ahead. I have bought the dog cage and a water bottle and feeder for the cage. I am concerned about leaving her in the run at night. (its not covered over and I'm in the middle of a northwest forest setting.) The coop is a big and has room for the cage. I am thinking of preparing the dog cage/kennel today and putting it in the coop tomorrow, which is somewhat large by most coop standards, I think.

I want to introduce her, keep her in the cage, for a time. watch the interactions. nearly a week and then one night, go out and open the door. I think i will supply her with a little box off to one side to hide in , when she needs to. I am learning a lot about hens. Somewhat mean, at times?
I'm thinking about lining the wall (of the dog kennel) with cardboard held by those plastic ties that are so ubiquitous, lately. .. up to oh, 6-9 inches just so they don't attack her through the wires. Let them get used to her for while. There is no rush (though I pity her the confinement!) We aren't going to have any snow and our temperatures will be well about freezing. I am very nervous about this but she is healed and her feathers are growing back. I would hate to have her attacked or for her to run away, once again. This is the best plan I can come up with. :fl
I'm exhausted today so i don't want to start this until tomorrow. 😴
 
Kathymary said:
Hi, everyone... Ariel is back to her cute, sweet normal. She is very restless. I have actually held her for a few minutes every evening. It was for me, more, than her. I know there is just a little bird brain in there, but, well, I like her. I feel silly, but that is that. A hen buddy.

Here is the plan. We have have a decent fall week ahead. I have bought the dog cage and a water bottle and feeder for the cage. I am concerned about leaving her in the run at night. (its not covered over and I'm in the middle of a northwest forest setting.) The coop is a big and has room for the cage. I am thinking of preparing the dog cage/kennel today and putting it in the coop tomorrow, which is somewhat large by most coop standards, I think.

I want to introduce her, keep her in the cage, for a time. watch the interactions. nearly a week and then one night, go out and open the door. I think i will supply her with a little box off to one side to hide in , when she needs to. I am learning a lot about hens. Somewhat mean, at times?
I'm thinking about lining the wall (of the dog kennel) with cardboard held by those plastic ties that are so ubiquitous, lately. .. up to oh, 6-9 inches just so they don't attack her through the wires. Let them get used to her for while. There is no rush (though I pity her the confinement!) We aren't going to have any snow and our temperatures will be well about freezing. I am very nervous about this but she is healed and her feathers are growing back. I would hate to have her attacked or for her to run away, once again. This is the best plan I can come up with. :fl
I'm exhausted today so i don't want to start this until tomorrow. 😴
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Good luck and keep us posted!
 
Hello -- today I reintroduced little Ariel back into her flock. I had set everything up ..but she kept slamming herself against the kennel's bars and I made the mistake of freeing her ... she is now bloody again and in the garage.. I am devastated. Please ... should I just do the process again and don't yield to her when she protests? Do you have any advice besides follow the advice of the nice people on line?
Her comb looks awful ... there is less damage than last time, but I am very concerned. Has anyone ever kept a bantam in the house as a pet? I can't kill her and I can't just the other chickens kill her ... I'll keep applying the medicine. I started crying when I saw what had happened. My emotions are raw at this point. Its only been 10 months since Leon, my husband died.
 
Kathymary said:
Hello -- today I reintroduced little Ariel back into her flock. I had set everything up ..but she kept slamming herself against the kennel's bars and I made the mistake of freeing her ... she is now bloody again and in the garage.. I am devastated. Please ... should I just do the process again and don't yield to her when she protests? Do you have any advice besides follow the advice of the nice people on line?
Her comb looks awful ... there is less damage than last time, but I am very concerned. Has anyone ever kept a bantam in the house as a pet? I can't kill her and I can't just the other chickens kill her ... I'll keep applying the medicine. I started crying when I saw what had happened. My emotions are raw at this point. Its only been 10 months since Leon, my husband died.
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I'm so sorry you are going through this. Take a breath. :hugs
How about you keep her crated inside until she is healed again?
Is there any member of your flock that is not mean to your bantam? If so, once your little bantam is healed, set up a larger area in the garage for them and put the nice girl in with her and stay and monitor them. If they get on, leave them together to bond for about a week.
Then try the 'look don't touch approach' with both of the newly bonded girls in a large crate in the coop of the main flock for about 5 days or so. Then try again with a release with LOTS AND LOTS of space, things to hide behind or jump up on, lots of other things to do besides beat up little chickens.
Leave food all over the place. I do this all the time. I have stumps and flat stones dotted around the run and put a spoonful of Flock Raiser mash on them in about a dozen locations in addition to putting it in their 6' long trough.
Can you post pictures of your setup?
 

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