Hope for reintegration after injury

[Our6chicks]

I truly had no idea that reintegration after injury would take. I had an injured Crested Cream Legbar, Bobby Sue, that I brought inside to a crate to mend. It required antibiotic drops in her eye, antibiotics in her water and gavage feeding. She was in the house for 8 days.
How and why chickens forget their on flock members baffles me!!! Anyway, I put a pen within the run and started putting her out during the day. The first few days a few of the flock would just stare at her through the crate and even tried to Peck her tail feathers or her comb. Since I could tell it would take awhile, I made her pen bigger.

I continued taking her out there for a week. Would bring her back inside at night. Then on day 8 and 9 I opened her door and let her decide what she wanted to do. I stayed by to watch. She ventured out and did not go far. Sometimes she would retreat to her pen. There were a couple of the flock that seemed to want to target her. Nothing major. After an hour of watching I would close her door and I would go back to the house. I did this a couple of times a day. Finally, on day 10 I noticed she was not as trepidatious and I left the door open all day with an occasional check on her. There was an occasional peck or chase but nothing that warranted intervening. She even did some of her own bossy moves. I decided to let her stay for the night. The first night she roosted by herself. The following night she roosted with the girls. I wanted to share all this for hope of those going through the same. It’s tiring and daunting and frustrating. Being patient is the key.

 

[Sally PB]

Good information. Thank you for posting.

 

[LeeWren]

Thanks for your story. I had a hawk attack that tore one of my hens' wattle and neck skin loose on one side, requiring numerous stitches. She otherwise wasn't injured but the other hens immediately went after the purple stitches, I guess thinking they were worms or something! I had to quarantine her in the house until stitches were out -- ten days -- and then spent hours and hours over the course of several days monitoring behavior while I gradually introduced her back to the flock She was the low man on the totem pole to begin with so it was tough to see the others viciously peck her and chase her seemingly just because they could, but finally the other hens accepted her back. If you don't really have the time for such things, it can be really terribly frustrating. And definitely patience is warranted! PS She healed up just fine!

 

[Our6chicks]

Thanks for your story. I had a hawk attack that tore one of my hens' wattle and neck skin loose on one side, requiring numerous stitches. She otherwise wasn't injured but the other hens immediately went after the purple stitches, I guess thinking they were worms or something! I had to quarantine her in the house until stitches were out -- ten days -- and then spent hours and hours over the course of several days monitoring behavior while I gradually introduced her back to the flock She was the low man on the totem pole to begin with so it was tough to see the others viciously peck her and chase her seemingly just because they could, but finally the other hens accepted her back. If you don't really have the time for such things, it can be really terribly frustrating. And definitely patience is warranted! PS She healed up just fine!
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Awww. That is sooooo good to hear! I truly believe everyone that has done this has a different story. Lol. But all in all...lots of patience and maybe the occasional head banging against the wall. Mine has at least moved up a couple of spots in the order.