HELP!!! Rescued a chicken but not sure what I need to do next

[Justplainchickn]

T

A friend had this very little chicken which they think is full size but the story is different depending on who you talk to, but anyhow it was getting picked on really badly so they asked us to bring the chicken home with us. We did what we always do introduced the chicken in the dark at night. Our chickens picked a little on her the next day but nothing too bad( they were not picking to make her bleed, just chase her off). She is on day 2 and doing ok but the chickens are curious about the scab and pink tail sticking up and occasionally pick at it. I put the salve on it (used in dental offices for dry sockets) it contains eucalyptus oil and clove oil and other healing agents and I figured it would be safe since humans use it in their mouths but thought the clove oil would keep them from picking at the sore. So I guess what I am asking is how long does it take to integrate a chicken (we have silkies so they are small and not aggressive but this chicken is still half their size)? Is there something better I can use on the sore? Is there a good way to integrate a small size chicken into the flock? Any advise would be very welcome

 

[Toddrick]

You should not introduce a new bird directly to your flock without quarantine first, especially if it does not appear in good health. Asides from that, I would quarantine the bird for its own protection until it heals up.

 

[Justplainchickn]

In a separate coop? Do you allow the chicken to run around outside with he rest of the chickens during the day? Hope I don't sound stupid asking these questions. Our first chicken rescue and these silkies are our first flock all hatched out together at our house. This has not been an issue for us in our flock

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

In a separate coop? Do you allow the chicken to run around outside with he rest of the chickens during the day? Hope I don't sound stupid asking these questions. Our first chicken rescue and these silkies are our first flock all hatched out together at our house. This has not been an issue for us in our flock

No - the purpose of quarantine is to maintain total separation for a period of time to determine health so as to prevent spreading any disease being carried by the new bird being spread to the rest of your flock, so allowing them to interact would defeat that. Good bio-security is to practice quarantine with any new birds regardless of source.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Additionally, mixing this bird into a flock of other birds with the wound as it is is going to be inviting trouble, with a capital T -- the other advantage quarantining the new bird will allow for proper healing before you attempt integration.

 

[donrae]

Well, it's too late to worry about quarantine now.

Unless you have a place to house it until it heals, I'd advise to spray the wound with Blue-Kote. It masks the red color and deters the other birds from pecking at a wound.

 

[chickmomma03]

I would not introduce her with an open wound. They're going to pick at it because it's bright and attractive to them. I would set something up inside (or if inside isn't an option, outside but separated completely, but inside would be better with a wound like that IMO) for now for her and help her heal. Then, when you go to introduce I'd do a look but don't touch introduction if they start picking on her. I have chickens that are 6wks apart, I got all of mine as day olds, and I tried to introduce but my bigger ones tried to single out and were just being "mean" (I know it's normal chicken behavior to set pecking order, but this was so hard it caused bleeding, which I am not ok with, and they were pulling feathers out in chunks). I built an outdoor makeshift mini coop for the younger ones for a look but don't touch (they were at the point where it was necessary to move them from brooder to outside) and it's working. Yesterday we went out and put all the big ones in the coop except for the roo and the calmest/mildest hen and they did great. Then in intervals brought out another hen at a time. I put the younger back into their makeshift for the night because we didn't want them being picked on in the night, but are going to do another round today.

Also, maybe it's me, but she looks really tiny to be fully grown. What breed is she suppose to be?

My younger chicks are smaller in size (still bigger than the one you're holding though), they're EE (were suppose to be Ameraucanas), and since I don't know what they're mixed with I'm thinking genetically mine are on the smaller side. They're smaller than my older chicks were at this age.

 

[Justplainchickn]

Makes lots of sense thanks! We are going to clean everything and put it in its own coop. How long in quarantine?

 

[Justplainchickn]

We do have a second coop...what is blue-kote? Where do you get that? Vet supply?

 

[chickmomma03]

If it were me I would at least until she's had time to heal. Her wounds look really rough right now