Looking for advice on integrating a recovered chicken with my other 2

[Happy_chickening]

Hi all! I have seen different ways to reintroduce a recovered chicken back to a flock but i only have 3 chickens total. One had an injured leg so i put her in her own space (in a large cage in the shed with heat). After several weeks her leg got better but then she went into a stress molt and so i kept her separated even longer until her feathers grew back. About 2 weeks ago i made a separate space in the coop with the other 2 chickens so that they could all be visible to eachother and get sort of reacquainted during the day, through chicken wire, and i put her back in her shed for nighttime. I have delayed taking them out in the yard to "mingle" because its been real cold and theres way too much snow. I feel real bad for the isolated one because she just wants to be in the coop with the other 2 and do everything they do but im scared for her life! Yesterday i took them outside for a "walk" to get them out because the snow melted and theres a few patches of grass and man was that the most stressful situation! I had a container of mealworms to use as a distraction and was ok for a minute but the 2 turned and attacked chicken at once. I had to put everyone back to the coop because it got violent and there was blood. I dont know if i can stand this everytime i try to take them out together and i realize it might take time but will this EVER get better and back to normal?? Is there ANYTHING i can do to ease the stress and violence when we go out for yard time?? This is stressing me out and i just feel so bad for chicken who just wants to be part of the gang. If theres any pointers out there please fill me in!! Thanks in advance!

 

[fin-dachickmasta]

Oh gosh! You did what I would have done except I would have kept her in a cage in the coop at all times. How big is the coop? Maybe you could try putting the coop at night?

 

[Happy_chickening]

Oh gosh! You did what I would have done except I would have kept her in a cage in the coop at all times. How big is the coop? Maybe you could try putting the coop at night?

The coop is small...i wouldn't be able to put her cage in there. I thought of that but their sleeping spot with roosts and nesting boxes is only 4x4. I thought of just letting her in at bedtime but i dont think Pecky (queen bee) would have it at all. Shes real mean with her and i wouldn't be able to get in there to sort things out. Im almost at a loss.

 

[Mrs. K]

Hopefully, Pecky is the leader, and the other a follower. Put Peck in the cage, and see if you can get the other two together. Often times you will have a leader and a follower. If you remove the leader, a lot of the trouble goes away. Once that pair gets to be friends, you can reintroduce the more dominant bird.

But I think what would be easier, would be to order the pin- less peepers and put them on all the birds. Or at least the Pecky. They work well in small set ups.

Mrs K

 

[Happy_chickening]

Hopefully, Pecky is the leader, and the other a follower. Put Peck in the cage, and see if you can get the other two together. Often times you will have a leader and a follower. If you remove the leader, a lot of the trouble goes away. Once that pair gets to be friends, you can reintroduce the more dominant bird.

But I think what would be easier, would be to order the pin- less peepers and put them on all the birds. Or at least the Pecky. They work well in small set ups.

Mrs K

I was watching them when i had them out for yard time and pecky and vikki both attacked chicken. I was thinking of putting pecky in a separate spot to see how vikki does with chicken but acts just as crazy as pecky! This is nuts!
Today the weather looks mild so im going to try another outing to see if we can be nicer.
Oh, what is a "pin-less peepers "?

I really appreciate any advice i can get..thank you so much

 

[Mrs. K]

In small set ups, pin-less peepers are blinders to the forward sight. They can eat and drink, but not see to attack other birds. I think they might really work well for you and get you over this hump.

https://www.amazon.com/DSSPORT-Pheasant-Blinders-Spectacles-Anti-Pecking/dp/B08DTZBVDX

 

[Happy_chickening]

In small set ups, pin-less peepers are blinders to the forward sight. They can eat and drink, but not see to attack other birds. I think they might really work well for you and get you over this hump.

https://www.amazon.com/DSSPORT-Pheasant-Blinders-Spectacles-Anti-Pecking/dp/B08DTZBVDX

I ordered some peepers...i will try it when i get them. Thank you for the advice! In the meantime we will try closely supervised yard time hopefully with less violence. I understand that there will be fighting as she is the "newbie" but when it gets to the point where vikki and pecky both attack and chicken ends up bloody, i feel defeat and stress.

 

[Mrs. K]

I myself, want peace in the flock, so I understand.

 

[Happy_chickening]

I myself, want peace in the flock, so I understand.

We had some yard time yesterday. We survived without a bloody mess...lots of grumbling and probably bad words exchanged in chicken talk lol i stood in between everyone and encouraged walking and pecking the grass and i had my mealworm container for distraction. Im hoping that the peepers will help along with nicer weather coming

 

[Happy_chickening]

Here's chicken...shes on my back pruning. It's safe there so she doesn't get attacked by vikki and pecky.