Re-integrating a chicken into her flock

[Beeblossom]

I took a hen that was obviously not feeling well and being pecked unmercilessly away from the flock. She is now better and I want to put her back with the rest of the hens. She does well during the day while they are outside and holds her own. When she tries to get in the coop at the end of the day, some of the hens start pecking her. I'm afraid to leave her in the pen for fear of what they'll do to her. She doesn't seem happy by herself and I don't have the set up to make another coop for her and one of the sweeter hens. If she could tolerate being alone at night and with the hens outside during the day, it would be a do-able thing, but she's been pulling some feathers when she's in the cage by herself in the evenings and early morning. Any input would be welcomed.

 

[Bengalcats1]

Do you put her in the coop after dark? I would place her on the perch after dark and just be out there early am to let them out and make sure nobody picks on her, I bet they'll get used to her again, esp since they accept her in the run during the day....It always surprises me how Mean chickens can be, I tried putting two mamas with their babies Next to each other and in sep cages and the viciousness that came how, Ugh, I wish I hadn't even taken them away from the others to begin with, it can be such a pain getting them back into the mix

 

[Bengalcats1]

The only thing I would worry about is why they were picking on her so bad to begin with?, maybe she should be seperated or maybe place her? I didn't realize at first that is why you took her out to begin with, sometimes there is One in particular that gets picked on for whatever reason

 

[Beeblossom]

I actually took her to the vet (can you believe it?) but she was one of my favorites and so sweet. Vet said she was very thin (hard to tell under the feathers) but couldn't find any pathology. She did give her an antibiotic which I gave her for 3 days with no apparent improvement. I am an herbalist and have used herbs effectively with animals before. The vet did say her heart was beating abnormally fast and that it appeared there may be fluid in her lungs. The antibiotic was only a last ditch attempt, she wasn't very encouraging. Anyway, after giving her hawthorne (heart herb) and ginseng (revitalizer) she really bounced back. The vet suggested I put another hen in with her at night, but I'm dubious another hen, even a nice one would go for that. Guess I could try. Do you think if I found a new, young pullet that might work better? Then if I let her out during the day, that might be workable. She is plucking her under feathers and my feeling is that this is stress behavior because she's alone. As I say all of this, I realize I must sound awfully kooky. Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[Bengalcats1]

If you get another then you may have issues re introducing Two back into the flock, I wouldn't want her alone either tho, you'd have to get one that is fairly young and looks up to her like she is top chicken. I have found chickens to be such problems sometimes and I don't know what to do either. I have some I really wanted to be one big happy family and instead am having to make another small coop and run cause the original flock just wants Nothing to do with them. I have a Tiny fullgrown silkie that Nobody seems to like so when my baby silkies get alittle bigger Im hoping she can house with them, they are still under a light so I have to wait and for now She is alone

 

[sharol]

I'm facing a similar situation with a 10 month old pullet I thought was dying a week ago ("she got betta" (Monty Python)). I brought her in and gave her poly vi sol and ACV in her water and lots of treats. I figured she was dying -- laying problem, or so I thought. The lump in her belly has disappeared and she is walking around upright. Unfortunately when she was in the yard yesterday, a couple of my other girls attacked her. In order to protect her, I brought down the Hen Hoop that I used last summer before I figured out it was too small for 7 pullets, and today I put her out there. The other girls were hostile to her in the hoop at first, but now they are ignoring her. I figure alternating free range time for a few days and then supervising them out in the yard together may get them re-acquainted. Adding to the problem is the fact that she is the lowest ranked pullet in the flock and has always been quite submissive to the others.

The kicker is that I have 5 3 week olds that will need the hoop in a week or two (gotta get them out of the garage), so she has to integrate FAST.

I'll be watching this thread for additional ideas.

 

[kyrose]

same problem here.had to bring my silkie hen in due to an eye injury.we,the vet and i,saved the eye but she lost sight in it.ive tried to get her back out but they beat the tar out of her and closed her eye again.now i have another house chicken.i just ordered her diaper..lol she doesnt seem to mind being alone in her cage,but she gets let out every evening to run the house with my serama..

 

[Beeblossom]

Last spring I got 8 new chicks. And 7 older hens of varying ages. I let my chickens outside to free range (I know it's risky, but so far with our dog, no more fox attacks!) All summer the new ones went outside in a make shift pen and the old hens checked them out but no problems. As winter approached and the chix got big, we let them out of their outside pen and everyone just sort of got used to each other. By winter when I could no longer let them out, they all managed to get themselves "reset" and everyone's been fine. We've had a long, cold winter and everyone was inside for longer than usual and there was some pecking but no serious stuff. It was the easiest integration I've ever had--until this poor little hen. I am seriously thinking of getting some new young ones and seeing if we can rig up another (nighttime) coop for them and then just let them all mingle free range during the day. My husband is really a saint!