Help with reintroducing chicken.. pls.

[Vikinglike]

I have a girl who has been separated from her 12 sisters for the past three weeks due to surgery. She had bumblefoot and a secondary infection. The group is eight months old and are Orpingtons and Wyandottes.
I hope to reintroduce her on Tuesday... any helpful hints would be most appreciated. I’m pretty nervous. thanks!!!

 

[DobieLover]

I have a girl who has been separated from her 12 sisters for the past three weeks due to surgery. She had bumblefoot and a secondary infection. The group is eight months old and are Orpingtons and Wyandottes.
I hope to reintroduce her on Tuesday... any helpful hints would be most appreciated. I’m pretty nervous. thanks!!!

Start her off in a 'look, don't touch' arrangement for a good week.
If you have a particularly non aggressive girl, try putting her in the area with your integratee after one week and see how they get along. If they are okay, let the pair out together the following day a good hour before releasing the rest of the flock with them. Then monitor.

 

[aart]

Same as adding a 'new' bird, maybe tougher because it's single bird.

@DobieLover has given some good advice.

This might help too:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/introducing-a-single-hen-to-an-existing-flock.71997/

As might these tips about.....
Integration Basics:
It's all about territory and resources(space/food/water).
Existing birds will almost always attack new ones to defend their resources.
Understanding chicken behaviors is essential to integrating new birds into your flock.

Confine new birds within sight but physically segregated from older/existing birds for several weeks, so they can see and get used to each other but not physically interact.

In adjacent runs, spread scratch grains along the dividing mesh, best if mesh is just big enough for birds to stick their head thru, so they get used to eating together.

The more space, the better. Birds will peck to establish dominance, the pecked bird needs space to get away. As long as there's no copious blood drawn and/or new bird is not trapped/pinned down and beaten unmercilessly, let them work it out. Every time you interfere or remove new birds, they'll have to start the pecking order thing all over again.

Multiple feed/water stations. Dominance issues are most often carried out over sustenance, more stations lessens the frequency of that issue.

Places for the new birds to hide 'out of line of sight'(but not a dead end trap) and/or up and away from any bully birds. Roosts, pallets or boards leaned up against walls or up on concrete blocks, old chairs tables, branches, logs, stumps out in the run can really help. Lots of diversion and places to 'hide' instead of bare wide open run.


Best of cLuck!

 

[Vikinglike]

So this bird was top of the pecking order three weeks ago.... does the flock totally forget who she is or was?
She’s always had a lot of confidence, is all of that out the window now? I’ve never seen any others pick on her.
I don’t see her backing down from anyone. thanks!

 

[DobieLover]

So this bird was top of the pecking order three weeks ago.... does the flock totally forget who she is or was?
She’s always had a lot of confidence, is all of that out the window now? I’ve never seen any others pick on her.

Her confidence will likely be less as she's been away for so long. If she were mine I'd still set her up in the 'look, don't touch' arrangement. See how the others behave when they see her and she with them. It's far better to be cautious and take your time with reintroduction than just putting her back in the flock.

 

[aart]

does the flock totally forget who she is or was?

Pretty much, yes.
It's hard to say what she, and the others, will do when you put her back in.
Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.