Momma hen being pecked by others. Can they be friends again?

[SoCal-chick]

We have a hen whose two chicks are now 8 weeks old. We divided the chicken pen in half and the hen and her chicks have been separated from the other 4 hens since before the eggs hatched. Now the momma, Iris,wants to be back with the other hens, her "friends." when we put her with them, two hens in particular start to peck her and she hides in the coop till we put her back with her chicks. So we didn't let her in with them again until today because she acted like she wanted in with them. The other hens started to peck her so much that she started bleeding. I don't know how to integrate her back with the others without the others hurting her! We tried putting her in the coop after they were all roosting and the next morning they awoke and started pecking her again. Also at some point we need to integrate the two chicks, one is a little roo. How do I make them all be friends again??

 

[MissPrissy]

They are re-establishing her place in the pecking order.

Since she is bleeding take her out and treat her wounds. Do not put her back until she is healed. Open wounds will encourage more pecking. Chickens are like raptors and will peck and eat the flesh of other chickens.

 

[SoCal-chick]

Thank you, we got her out of there and back with her chicks. Once she is healed, is there a way to re-introduce her to the other hens that would not be as painful for her or us?

 

[MissPrissy]

There will always be some sort of altercation as she re-enters the pecking order of the flock.

If they are picking her back you could try duct taping her in that area.