Hen Won't Leave Coop After Predator Attack

[cheekiechickie]

Over a week ago, my sapphire gem hen, Diamond, was attacked by a possum in the run attached to the coop. She was just bitten on the leg/foot and the possum was just dragging her around when I got out there. I took her in and cleaned up her wounds and dressed them while others "disposed" of the attacker. She was put on antibiotics for 6 days to treat any infection from the bite, and health wise she is great- but she wont come out of the coop. I took her out a few days ago to make sure she was getting water and she instead turned around and ran back in. Now I get that she might be scared to go out, but today when I took her out the other hens acted like I was introducing a new hen to the flock, and were trying to re-establish a pecking order, that to my knowledge, hadn't been changed... Is this something I need to worry about???

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Did you separate her from the flock while she was being treated for injuries?
Photos of her healed up leg would be helpful.

If the others are attacking her, she may not be feeling very well. Does she have access to food/water at all? If not cage her inside the coop with her own food/water so she can get some nutrition.

It would be a very good idea to check her over really well for any signs of other wounds, infection, lice/mites.

 

[cheekiechickie]

We brought her in and cleaned her up and then took her back out for the night. We started taking the antibiotic and water to her first thing in the morning before we opened up coops. She has food inside, but water is outside. We take out a cup of water now to her every morning, and they've all been treated for mites when I found mites in my roosters bachelor pad not too long ago.
I don't worry about her health too much, I'm worried about her getting picked on since no one seemed to recognize her.

 

[aart]

They probably sense her weakness and she may be acting 'odd' too.
Is she limping?

If the others are attacking her, she may not be feeling very well. Does she have access to food/water at all? If not cage her inside the coop with her own food/water so she can get some nutrition.

This^^^ in coop, or run might be better.

Knowing what your coops and run look like,
dimensions and pics,
might garner more specific suggestions

 

[cheekiechickie]

I have a 10×10 pen with roosts, ramps, dust bath and a small tree for them to climb in, attracted to a 8x8 coop for 12 hens. I would send pics but it's so muddy I've had to throw extra wood and stuff on ground to get there and I still slip and fall in mud... not taking a chance with camera or phone

 

[Wyorp Rock]

We brought her in and cleaned her up and then took her back out for the night. We started taking the antibiotic and water to her first thing in the morning before we opened up coops. She has food inside, but water is outside. We take out a cup of water now to her every morning, and they've all been treated for mites when I found mites in my roosters bachelor pad not too long ago.
I don't worry about her health too much, I'm worried about her getting picked on since no one seemed to recognize her.

They probably sense her weakness and she may be acting 'odd' too.
Is she limping?


This^^^ in coop, or run might be better.

Knowing what your coops and run look like,
dimensions and pics,
might garner more specific suggestions

@aart was trying to about temperatures. I like to use run for "separation" but usually that's when weather is better. Not sure about OP's conditions.

@cheekiechickie is this hen's injuries related at all to what may have happened to your rooster in January? I recently saw your update in that thread where part of his wing fell off.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/roo-legs-swollen-and-peeling.1289670/#post-20917597

I understand you are concerned about her getting picked on, but there is usually a reason. Either it's an re-integration problem, lack of space/boredom, you have mean birds(?) or she has not recovered from injuries/she is sick.

It would be wise to check her over again to make sure that she does not having anything obviously wrong with her.

 

[cheekiechickie]

Sorry, working on getting prepared for evacuations due to flooding- with in a few hours of my last post, she was back out side interacting with the flock- no frostbite or anything- I check her all the time for any issues as she spent the first 6 months with me inside my house (we got her just before she began laying) and she absolutely loves affection.
Any way, she is back to normal self it seems. I guess the girls just needed more time to show her it was safe again.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Sorry, working on getting prepared for evacuations due to flooding- with in a few hours of my last post, she was back out side interacting with the flock- no frostbite or anything- I check her all the time for any issues as she spent the first 6 months with me inside my house (we got her just before she began laying) and she absolutely loves affection.
Any way, she is back to normal self it seems. I guess the girls just needed more time to show her it was safe again.

Sorry to hear about evacuations.
I hope everything goes o.k.