need answers.

[Teg]

My boyfriend and I are newly chicken owners

Unfortunately one of our chickens had an accident and now is a one legged chicken. She's healthy, happy and loves to run but we are having issues reintroducing her into the coop with the others. She was always the smallest and always got picked on the most. Now as she is still trying to figure out her balance, when they peck at her she falls over. I worry that if I leave her in there overnight with them, I will wake up to a very sad sight.

With this being said, I am planning on getting/ making her her own coop.

Now the question is, is there any sort of breed I can put in with her so she had a buddy, or will they all try to peck her to death?
Another question is, if I buy another baby chick, can I raise them together and have her not interfere or try to hurt the weaker chicken?
Or, is it better for me to keep he by herself.

She is roughly 4-5 month old and is the size of a 3 month old.
She is my baby, and I refuse to kill her as she is happy, healthy, not in pain and fully capable of laying eggs still.

 

[Kiki]

Welcome to BYC.
I am so sorry they are being mean to her, but I'm going to have to say they will probably always be mean to her. Making her own house and adding a friend is a great idea.
Has she actually laid an egg yet...just curious.

 

[azygous]

I recommend you first try to reintegrate her. I would follow the prescription for introducing a strange new hen to the flock. (I have an article on this subject linked below.)

Set up a secure enclosure within the run for you one-legged hen. This should be in full view of the rest of the flock. This should protect your disabled hen while she gets her foot under her, so to speak, while getting the flock accustomed to her unique presence.

This serves to protect the hen while giving her time to adjust to her disability without sacrificing her self confidence, which often occurs when a hen is repeatedly bullied and attacked.

You might find that she and the flock adjust well to one another and there is no need for separate quarters after all. I would take her out of the enclosure each night at roosting time and let her roost with the others. You may need to build her a low perch that she can easily access.

 

[Teg]

this is what we did when we tried.

If a chick had grown up around her, as it grows up and gets bigger would it peak her because she is weaker? Or would it be okay because she wouldn't have been used to her like that?

 

[Teg]

She is still too young, I'm estimating she's maybe 3-5 months.

I had taken her to the vet and he had explained she would lay still.
However even if she didn't by some chance I would still keep her.

 

[rebrascora]

Weakness is more a state of mind than a physical disability. The way I would do it is to stack the odds in favour of your one legged girl. Ie Build her, her own enclosure, where she feels safe and gets special attention. Then add a low ranking girl from your existing flock or a new pullet. Your girl is then on home territory and will fight for top spot despite her disability. I've had this happen with a hen that was nest bound and unable to stand (she was partially paralysed with Marek's disease. I had her in my infirmary for supportive care and another pullet started being bullied in the main flock because she had lost use of one leg (also due to Marek's Disease) She was very agile on one leg but some of the flock were giving her a hard time. I put her into the infirmary with the other one and to my horror, the bird that was nest bound and unable to stand, decided to fight for her territory and won despite being significantly more disabled..... it was not pretty to watch two disabled birds fighting but once both of them established who was boss, they got on famously and their friendship was a huge benefit to both of them. Having home advantage makes a big difference and may benefit your girl rather than trying to put her back into their territory where she is immediately out of place and outnumbered. On home territory she will feel safe and confident and much more likely to hold her own, especially with a low ranking bird of the same age. Be prepared for some fighting though.... it needs to be sorted out between them.
If she is not broody, giving her a chick may be a death sentence for the chick. It's surprising how they can change when there is something worth fighting for.

Good luck with her and I hope you find a solution that works for her and you.

Regards

Barbara