Injured chicken getting pecked

[Krsea22]

We have a flock of 9 hens, they have a large covered run attached to the coop but we let them out into our yard when we are home.
We recently had a hen get attacked by a hawk. She is okay just some lost feathers and some minor cuts. We kept her inside for about a week or so until the cuts were healed.

We reintroduced her to the flock and they seem to be making things worse… pecking her, pulling out her feathers which has caused a bald spot on her back. She has been hanging away from the other chickens when outside and does not seem to like being in the coop (trying to get out when she see us). We brought her back inside for tonight but not too sure where to go from here. Do we keep her inside? Do we wrap her back? We have been spraying it with vetericyn poultry care.

Any help is appreciated! Thank you!

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

I am not an injury expert but wrapping is probably a bad idea. I would rehab her the way you introduce new chickens-with a see but no touch method for a couple weeks when she is healed again. I’ll tag someone else for more help @Wyorp Rock @Eggcessive

 

[Eggcessive]

I would place her in a wire dog crate, shaded, with food and water. Keep her with the flock. After a couple of days, try some supervised free ranging. Can you share some pictures of what she looks like, and where she is being pecked? Does she have any trouble walking? The others may sense that she is weaker, or it may be that she was out of the flock a bit too long. If she has wounds, BluKote spray may disguise them if they are not too deep. I hope that you can make her part of the flock again soon.

 

[triciayoung]

I would not wrap her. If you have the time, the most ideal way is to keep her in until feathers come back but take her outside a 1/2 hour to hour a day and stand by her to protect her from chassholes (chicken a-holes) . I use Curicyn would care clay. It seems to not get as much attention and is an awesome product.

 

[Krsea22]

I would place her in a wire dog crate, shaded, with food and water. Keep her with the flock. After a couple of days, try some supervised free ranging. Can you share some pictures of what she looks like, and where she is being pecked? Does she have any trouble walking? The others may sense that she is weaker, or it may be that she was out of the flock a bit too long. If she has wounds, BluKote spray may disguise them if they are not too deep. I hope that you can make her part of the flock again soon.

Not the best photos she has a patch on her belly as well. Her wounds have healed and they have not been pecking that area. She has no issues walking and sometimes will run at the other chickens to fight back. Should I put the cage in the coop with the other chickens ? Or keep her away fully until her feathers come back?

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

If the other chickens can’t get to her I would put the cage in with them. Any time a hen is removed from the flock she has to work her way back into the pecking order. In fact, removing a hen from the flock for a few days is a good way to keep her from bullying others. Her wound doesn’t look bad but because she has been away and healing she is going to be at the bottom of the pecking order and it’s probably hard on her healing to have to deal with chicken drama.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'd cage within the coop or run where she can be secured.

With her being away for so long, they are basically treating her as a newbie/stranger, often re-integration can be difficult, but hopefully she'll eventually be accepted back into the flock.

You may find this helpful.

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