Is my previously bullied chicken ready to return to the flock?

[Eva2020]

My chicken Lily cut herself pretty badly on some wire 2 or so weeks ago, and I would like to reintroduce her to the flock ASAP. She has some scabs left though. Do you think I should let those go away completely first, or is it healed enough? She's been in a XL dog crate for 2 weeks and I feel bad so I would like to get her back with her sisters, but of course I don't want them to bully her. Also, I was wondering if her toenails look too long? They aren't normally bent like that, only because she was standing on my lap awkwardly. Pictures included!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Do you think I should let those go away completely first, or is it healed enough? She's been in a XL dog crate for 2 weeks

Hi there, hope you are enjoying BYC!

If she has been in their sight this whole time.. return her now! Or put her back on roost tonight after dark so they all wake up together.

If she has been out of their sight for this past two weeks.. put her kennel back in their sight for a day or so to get pecking order back on place a little as she will have to work her way back in.

Her scabs look like no big deal.. biggest issue is a flock mate checking if it's a bug, ACCIDENTALLY making it bleed and subsequently discovering rich delicious blood. The possibility is there BUT it is minimal in my experience.

Her nails look fine since she's going back out. They may need help if she was staying confined longer term... in which case the beak often needs help as well.

Best wishes!

 

[MrFluffyandGirls]

her toe nails are fine. Has she been with in the community while in the dog crate so they can look but not touch each other, if so then there's no harm trying to introduce her back and see what happens. Do you have obstacles and perches where she can escape her tormentors? I like to have 2 feeding a watering stations too so the underdog can eat without so much competition.

 

[Eva2020]

Yes she has been a foot or so away from them. Not sure if this would change your response, but we did actually put her in maybe 4-5 days ago at night, and everything looked fine in the morning, but then when I went back to check in the afternoon, i guess one of them (there are 2 it could have been) had picked on her. She's been separated since then, so I'm kind of worried.

 

[Mrs. K]

Put her in at night, but a night when you will be able to watch the next day. If someone is pecking her, put that bird in the dog crate and see if the flock settles down.

 

[aart]

i guess one of them (there are 2 it could have been) had picked on her.

How do you know they picked on her?
Why did you separate to begin with?
Comb injuries heal up pretty quick.

Sounds like you may have a crowding problem.
Did they all grow up together?
How big is your coop and run, in feet by feet?
Dimensions and pics would help here.

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

 

[Eva2020]

I put her in last night and it seems to be going well so far. Hopefully it stays that way! We originally removed her because of the comb injury I mentioned. When that had healed up, we put her back in at night, but she got picked on again. Maybe they were just redoing the pecking order and that had happened.

 

[aart]

We originally removed her because of the comb injury I mentioned.

Have had more than few bitten combs here,
can look like a murder happened because they can bleed so much,
but I've never had to remove a bird to heal.

Maybe they were just redoing the pecking order and that had happened.

Separating does often cause more problems that it solves.

 

[LaFleche]

Regarding her feet/legs I suggest you spray her with some Ballistol Animal Spray as she seems to have elevated scales, one sign of scaly leg mites.
Spraying every other evening for 10 days will smother all the mites and their eggs.

 

[aart]

Ballistol Animal Spray

Not sure this is available in the US.
What are the ingredients?

I just use vaseline or bag balm to smother leg mites.