How to help a chicken in quarantine rejoin flock

[TxChickenGeek]

Through experimentation, I found the one-inch wide strips sixteen inches long are just right to get the foot adequately wrapped. Any shorter and it may leave a gap somewhere that dirt can find its way through.

Chickens are most curious about red things, so I avoid that color, but I use all the others.

It's always a good idea to try to track down how this chicken hurt her foot to have it turn into an infection. Long ago, I discovered four out of five young Welsummer pullets had bumblefoot. It didn't take me long to figure out they were all getting sore feet from dismounting a perch that was too high onto a floor without adequate bedding to cushion their dismount. I fixed that and their bumblefoot all healed and has never returned in their eight years since.

I am starting to think it is roost bar too high. I have seen some of them land pretty hard. I have wood shavings as their bedding. I am thinking I might have to switch to the larger flakes. I checked all my other birds, and there are a few others starting to get little spots on their feet too.

 

[TxChickenGeek]

As far as the integration issue, you did it right by housing the chicken in line of sight of the rest of the flock. I've not had issue simply letting out the chicken once it's recovered enough. Yes there'll be a little pecking but it should reintegrate without too much problem as long as they've seen her most of the time. Having multiple feeders available as well as maybe a bit of clutter to allow her to hide if needed may help.

I've also never separated a chicken for bumblefoot. I just do my treatment, wrap it up, and let them rejoin the others. The wound should stay clean and heal up as long as you do daily soaks/rebandaging.

She is getting more used to the foot soaking. I feed her mealworms, so that keeps her happy. ;-) I had to put her in the garage by herself tonight due to rain in the afternoon and evening- couldn't leave her in the outdoor space I had for her during the day cause it wasn't covered. Hope to let her wander with the flock outside tomorrow. Should be dry in the afternoon again, I hope. I hate her being by herself.

 

[TxChickenGeek]

Well. I tried wrapping her feet. How do these look? Hope they aren’t too tight or too loose.

Had a check up message from the vet and suggested keeping her separate from the others so they won’t pick on her, but I rather reintegrate her with bandages than cause more separation to overcome. Hope I won’t send her feet backwards, but it has already been two+ weeks of antibiotics and separation. The paper bedding is adding up too!

 

[azygous]

Very professional wrap job!

 

[TxChickenGeek]

Very professional wrap job!

Yea!
She sure has been happy rolling in the dirt!

 

[rosemarythyme]

Looks pretty good, not too tight. As long is that she can walk without issue, there's no sign of swelling/tenderness, and none of the material is coming loose, should be good to proceed like this.

 

[TxChickenGeek]

Looks pretty good, not too tight. As long is that she can walk without issue, there's no sign of swelling/tenderness, and none of the material is coming loose, should be good to proceed like this.

She seemed to do ok with them. We replaced them before evening, since it was kinda damp/muddy today. Some dirt got in one with all her scratching around, but I'm sure they are never perfect. She was lovin' the dirt. It had been too long since she could dust bathe.

 

[TxChickenGeek]

So I need more advice on how to integrate her back in. We were getting her back with the flock and then it poured for three days and had to put her in the garage to keep her out of the muck for her feet.
The flock doesn't want to let her out of the coop. They chase her when she comes into the run. I worry she can't eat. They come toward her and she runs.
Any ideas?

 

[azygous]

She needs a safe pen, temporary and makeshift if necessary, or a large crate, to be back in the flock but separate and safe. This will give everyone a chance to get used to her being back, and she can eat and drink all she wants at her own pace. It shouldn't be a problem for ther o roost with the flock at night.

 

[Abriana]

I integrate lots because I used to hatch chicks several times a year. I’m working on integrating some right now (I didn’t hatch them though). Basically I just keep them in the coop when they are small in an enclosed area, and then as they get older I put them outside. They go into a four by eight run during the day and back into the coop at night. After a few weeks I do some supervised outings usually in the evening. Once everything is going well I let them out for good. This method works for all ages, and I’ve used it with older birds before. Since she was in the flock before she won’t need as extensive integration as chicks would. Only one chicken has ever had almost no formal integration, my rooster Uriah spent his first night in a cage and was plunked with the ladies in the yard the next morning. I only had three hens though, none who were typically aggressive. After spending a few nights in a cage to make sure he wouldn’t hurt the pullets he was allowed complete freedom. Hopefully integration works out!