Injured chicken recovering but being threatened by other chickens

[hogges]

We had a fox jump our five foot fence a couple of weeks ago. One chicken was injured, couldn't get up for a couple of days and we nursed her first in the house, then she was able to go back to sleep in the hen house on the floor and one night she was back up on the roost with the others. She started the next day walking around with the other remaining two and all seemed fine. I thought we had made it!

But the very next day the two healthy ones started attacking the recovering one. She now is petrified of them, runs away, they come after her attacking in unison and she does not fight back. She won't go into the hen house, and we have been back to letting her stay in the house overnight. Not a sustainable solution...

My question is: Are they just trying to re-establish the hierarchy or are they going in for the kill? It's not pretty watching them peck on her if they manage to get her cornered.

 

[Mvan42]

They are probably establishing a new pecking order. You may want to do a see no touch method to re introduce her to the flock.

 

[hogges]

They are probably establishing a new pecking order. You may want to do a see no touch method to re introduce her to the flock.

Thanks. Meaning to just do nothing and let them figure it out or is there a good way, time or place to do this?

 

[Mvan42]

Put her in a dog kennel or something similar inside the coop. So the others can see her but not touch her. It should take a week to two to reintroduce her to the flock.

 

[hogges]

Thank you. She is sleeping in a dog kennel inside the coop tonight, nicely bedded and with food and water.