Injured hen - integrate with chickens or keep in guinea flock

[DoeAndGander]

I just walked into my coop and my little hen is bloody. She is the lowest on the pecking order. Pretty sure it was from them ganging up on her as they have been doing that for a while now but it seemed to be better. Catching her and cleaning her up. My question is, should I try to integrate her in with my four chickens or would it be best to put her back within the Guinea flock?

Also, If I spend the time to try to integrate her with the chickens and that doesn’t work for whatever reason, I pretty much ruined my chance of putting her back in the flock, right?

 

[R2elk]

I just walked into my coop and my little hen is bloody. She is the lowest on the pecking order. Pretty sure it was from them ganging up on her as they have been doing that for a while now but it seemed to be better. Catching her and cleaning her up. My question is, should I try to integrate her in with my four chickens or would it be best to put her back within the Guinea flock?

Also, If I spend the time to try to integrate her with the chickens and that doesn’t work for whatever reason, I pretty much ruined my chance of putting her back in the flock, right?

Try to find one of the other guineas that you can put with it while it is healing. Hopefully you can find one that will not pick on it while they are separated from the others. Once it is healed they can both be returned to the flock.

You should try to make hiding places for it so it can escape the rest of the flock when necessary.

 

[DoeAndGander]

Try to find one of the other guineas that you can put with it while it is healing. Hopefully you can find one that will not pick on it while they are separated from the others. Once it is healed they can both be returned to the flock.

You should try to make hiding places for it so it can escape the rest of the flock when necessary.

Thanks! Now I wish they were all different colors LOL I know two of my black are lower on the pecking order but I don’t know which ones. When I feed them treats I can tell but putting a target on them and catching them after the fact might be a little hard. Any suggestions on that?!

Yes! I have a few hiding places and that definitely helps.

 

[R2elk]

Thanks! Now I wish they were all different colors LOL I know two of my black are lower on the pecking order but I don’t know which ones. When I feed them treats I can tell but putting a target on them and catching them after the fact might be a little hard. Any suggestions on that?!

Yes! I have a few hiding places and that definitely helps.

I suppose you could mix up some food coloring with water in a bucket and try to splash it on the one you are trying to mark.

 

[DoeAndGander]

I suppose you could mix up some food coloring with water in a bucket and try to splash it on the one you are trying to mark.

I like your idea better than spray paint . Worth a shot!

 

[perchie.girl]

I suppose you could mix up some food coloring with water in a bucket and try to splash it on the one you are trying to mark.

or use a squirt gun to hit the target....

 

[DoeAndGander]

It appears to be her toe. Once I get her cleaned up, could I put green goo on it and put her back in the flock? Unsure how often it needs to be applied. Or would you recommend she be somewhat healed before doing so?

 

[R2elk]

It appears to be her toe. Once I get her cleaned up, could I put green goo on it and put her back in the flock? Unsure how often it needs to be applied. Or would you recommend she be somewhat healed before doing so? View attachment 1685692

I would use Blu-Kote or just do nothing at all.

I have guineas that have lost toes or claws over the years that healed just fine without any attention. I did find blood splattered all over the coop one day and never did find out what it was from. It is possible it came from a mouse but based on the pattern I suspect that it was a toe or foot injury that bled profusely for a short while and then healed on its own.

 

[perchie.girl]

If its not sticky Id say put her back... provide even more hidy places... I had a hen that lost a leg from predator attack. She healed famously and after a month+- recoup and relearning to move about she went back into the flock. She never was out of sight of the flock... though. Very unhappy to be in the next pen over though. Once I let her in the buckwheating stopped.

Oh there were a few scuffles but all in all she handled it quite well. I made sure there were added feed and water stations too. less arguments over who gets to eat what.

The Lower pecking order enjoyed it as well.

deb

 

[perchie.girl]

It appears to be her toe. Once I get her cleaned up, could I put green goo on it and put her back in the flock? Unsure how often it needs to be applied. Or would you recommend she be somewhat healed before doing so? View attachment 1685692

Oh and also if using salve of any kind.... Use a steril object to scoop a bit out and close the container before administering the salve... You dont want you contaminate your medicine with your fingers....

And Blue coat is a better Idea R2elk said. it is antiseptic but has the added value of removing that red color that attracts birds to peck.

deb