Putting a chicken back in the flock

[Countrylife19]

I had a chicken who was sick was in the house for a while. She is doing better. She was in a large dog cage inside the coop for about a week where the other chickens could see her but not touch her. Yesterday I let them all out for their weekly free range in the yard. I tried to incorporate Belle back into the flock but one of them pecked her hard enough to bleed a little so I put her back on her own..I tried again tonight letting her out in the coop and it was ok for a minute then they chased her. I am frustrated. I don't want to traumatize her but I also don't know what else to do. I've put chickens back into the flock before after being sick but never had them behave like this..I don't know what to do..

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

One of the best methods I've seen in introducing a hen to a flock is you sneak it in on the perches after it's dark. How you've already tried putting her back in and there's trouble, I would keep her separated and put in one or two hens from the bottom of the pecking order with her. That way, when you try again, she's not going in alone, thus causing the pecking order to be spread out. After that, I would allow two weeks for the pecking order to be reestablished.

 

[jennyman]

Hello! How did this go? In the same situation. Our chicken was sick for a week. We put here in a large dog crate and would.let her out for supervised visits. She even roosted with then last night. No issues but saw on the cameras her getting attacked so put her back in the crate. I have no idea what to do.

 

[Countrylife19]

I was in the same position. But my Belle was out of the coop for at least a month. Someone suggested to me putting her in when it was completely dark and then they accept the "new" chicken easier. So I just had a small flashlight trained on the ground so I didn't hurt myself and put her on the perch when it was dark in the coop. And that seemed to do the trick..they still pick on her a little but they don't attack her anymore..hope that helps