Ok, so we have a girl who was attacked by ???? on the 4th and had a nasty wound on her neck. I followed my general instincts about such injuries and the advice given from other chicken lovers and she's healed faster than I ever could have imagined. She's not perfect but the wound is totally closed over, the scab has fallen off and everything looks pretty healthy. Of course there is still bare skin but the feathers above cover it and unless she's wet it's difficult to see that she's been injured. She has been living in my grooming room in a large dog kennel while she's been healing which is a huge pain but whatever. It was the best option we had available and just had to do what we had to do kind of thing.
My husband and I have been arguing all week about when she could start to go outside and with other birds. I thought she needed more time. My husband is ready to just stick her back in the coop and he says she'll be fine. Everything I've read said that's probably not the best idea and the other chickens will pick on her and may pick at her healing neck. He points to the fact that I have never owned chickens and he has - that's a fun conversation >
So guide me oh chicken experts in the best way to reintroduce her to the flock. She went outside yesterday and today to free range, which made her VERY happy. The other birds just ignore her for the most part and if she gets to close to the group they chase her off but don't chase her very far. At dusk she flew up on the roof of the coop to roost and we brought her back inside for the night. I assume it'll be a while before the other chickens will let her back in the club (and the coop). Is there anything else we should be doing to ease her back into flock life as she continues to heal?
My husband and I have been arguing all week about when she could start to go outside and with other birds. I thought she needed more time. My husband is ready to just stick her back in the coop and he says she'll be fine. Everything I've read said that's probably not the best idea and the other chickens will pick on her and may pick at her healing neck. He points to the fact that I have never owned chickens and he has - that's a fun conversation >
So guide me oh chicken experts in the best way to reintroduce her to the flock. She went outside yesterday and today to free range, which made her VERY happy. The other birds just ignore her for the most part and if she gets to close to the group they chase her off but don't chase her very far. At dusk she flew up on the roof of the coop to roost and we brought her back inside for the night. I assume it'll be a while before the other chickens will let her back in the club (and the coop). Is there anything else we should be doing to ease her back into flock life as she continues to heal?
