Re-introducing injured hen to rest of "flock"

[eenymeenyminey]

Hi all.

I have 3 rhode island reds, Eeny Meeny Miney. (I had Moe but she died over the winter, sadly.) The 3 have been together their whole lives (just over a year). A week and a half ago, one of them was attacked by a friend's dog. She survived, and I am very fortunate to have a friend who is a vet, and specializes in poultry. So with her help, the extensive injuries to her back were thoroughly cleaned, and kept pretty clean. They appear to be healing well, but are still quite deep and red (scabbing), and of course much of her back is missing feathers. She also has a problem with one leg - she won't put all her weight on it. After about a week of not much movement, but decent eating/drinking/pooping given the circumstances, she's now moving much more though not able to walk much. She hops/flaps.

I've been keeping her in a dog crate inside, away from the other hens, knowing they would pick at the wound. I'm now bringing her out to the yard a couple times a day and letting the two other girls out with her. They of course are drawn to the wounds, but they are also attacking her. I know this is "normal", to re-establish the pecking order, but it's so hard to watch. She can't easily get away, though it does force her to move much more. She ends up just squatting down and taking the beating. Of course I stop it quickly, well before they can actually hurt her.

My questions are:

- this *is* normal, right?
- am I doing the right thing, with short supervised visits while she's still re-couperating? She's lonely and I know she is eager to be among other hens, so I'm hoping to ease the transition by doing it this way rather than waiting longer and then just leaving them all together.
- how long does it take, and am I actually making it worse by stopping the picking (they peck at her head and try to sit on her)? Shld I let it go on, so long as they aren't opening her wounds?
- A couple of times, I've heard her making what I swear is a purring sound. No clue what that's all about?

Any advice on the best way to re-introduce the ladies is greatly appreciated.

And if anyone wants more details on her care off list I can share that, I'm truly amazed she has survived given the depth and extent of the wounds. I did think long and hard about putting her down that day (would have been humane decision), but we both thought it would be worth just giving her a chance. The first two days were terrible, she was clearly uncomfortable, but after about 2 days her breathing normalized, she ate and drank and pooped and looked so alert.... and has improved every day since then.

Cheers.

 

[bj taylor]

in my opinion, this is the biggest challenge of caring for a wounded bird, getting them re-integrated w/the flock. perhaps put her in a wire cage that will fit inside the coop. she can be w/them, but safe from them. then in the day put the cage outside (in the shade) & again she can be w/them but safe from them.

i think it depends on the wound severity, but when one of mine was attacked by a dog, she was skinned on the back badly & in severe shock. i put blu-kote on her wounds (antiseptic, and camoflages wound so others won't pick at it), gave her warm sugar water (to help her shock) and left her in the coop w/the others. they seemed to guard her, never picked on her, and stayed by her side (especially one - they are closest of friends to this day). she couldn't get on the roost & had to sleep on the floor for awhile. it worked.

i'm sure such tactics will be successful some times & sometimes not.

 

[dretd]

Not sure where the wounds are, but you could try to put a saddle on her like you do to protect hens from the roosters. I made one pretty easily from a pattern and directions I found--I think is was on BYC but it may have been from another source.

I have had to reintorduce a hen several times in the past. I have a bigger flock so I'm not sure if it would work for just 3. When I felt it was time to re-introduce the hen (I am not sure you are there--she has to feel well enough to defend herself and not get injured) I would pull one or two of the more dominant hens fromt the flock and put them in a dog crate for a couple of days to let her get her barings.

I have used two strategies to reintroduce--one to put the hen in at night so she is there when they wake up and the other to free range them together. I guess you've tried the free ranging so I would go for putting her in at night after pulling one of the other hens. It disrupts the pecking order a bit and lets the injured one feel more secure, then free range them with the one you pulled in a day or two.