Hen rejected by other hens after illness

[Saqqara]

Hi all. We noticed last week that one of our hens was walking funny (falling to one side) and laying against the fence with her head and tail feathers down. When I went out there to see what was up, I witnessed the rooster savagely pecking her in the head. I immediately brought her inside and put her in a dog crate.
The next day I took her to the vet. She wasn't egg bound as she laid an egg while there. The vet couldn't figure out was was wrong with her, but stated it could be a neurological problem. He gave her a b12 shot and some other antibiotic. We took her home and she has improved a great deal. She is eating and drinking and walks around without a limp or falling over.
After letting her recover for a few days, we tried putting her back in with the other chickens. First the rooster mounted her several times.........then started attacking her again. Today my husband tried the same thing and he said the hens started pecking her and she ran to a tree and put her head down and tail feathers down like a cowering dog. Can anyone tell me what is going on?
She is a sweet hen and seems to be 'normal' if somewhat subdued. What would you suggest I do?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Chickens will often attack an odd acting or sick bird. Their instinct is to remove them from the flock.

Keep you hen penned separately where everyone can see her and interact through the fence for a week or two before trying to release her. It may take a while, especially if the hen continues to act off or meek.

Also removing a flock member even temporarily will disrupt the pecking order, so when returned birds are attacked because other birds want to keep their new places in that order.

 

[Saqqara]

Thanks for your reply. She is still living on our back patio. She is clucking at me as I type this. I have been looking for a small coop with run to buy to put inside the fenced in area where the other chickens roam around. So far everything is sold out unless I went to spend big bucks. I just hope eventually she can move back in with the others.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Is there room in the coop for a smaller fenced off area? Otherwise a crate or doghouse can work as a temporary house with a smaller fenced in area around it.

 

[Saqqara]

We have a fairly large coop with an enclosed run with a large area fenced around it. We introduced 4 new game hens a month or so ago and 3 of them are not allowed to sleep in the coop at all. They sleep on perches in the run. The hen that is sick is one of 4 egg laying hens we had originally. I think she may have been the lowest ranking of the original 4.

 

[Saqqara]

We may build a small coop for her. We new at some point we may have a situation like this.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

How big is your coop door? What do you consider large? My shed is 40x40. I consider that large. Can you add another door?

Did you introduce adult birds to your existing flock?