Re-introduction not going well

[Laurie Taylor]

After a coyote attack we were left with two healthy girls and one injured. She lost her left eye and was separated from the other two for over a month while she completely healed. We put her back in the new improved "chicken yard" with the others a little over a week ago. All she does is stay inside the coop--away from the others in a large nesting area. She's losing weight so we put her own food and water inside where she can get to them. The other girls eat/drink outside. We let her out in our garden on the weekends when we're home and can supervise. Are they ever going to let her back in the group or should we make her her own yard area??

Thank you!
Laurie

 

[CMV]

They should let her back in eventually. You are doing exactly what you should be doing. It is just going to take time.

Sorry for your situation. Good luck.

 

[Laurie Taylor]

We were luck that my mother in law was visiting and she chased the coyotes away--the injured chicken was dropped. We changed her name to Oh-nee (oh-nee one eye). This is our first time raising chickens and we've become quite attached...

 

[lbartsch]

I'm going through a very similar thing. We had a raccoon attack and lost one and had two others seriously injured. One was much more injured than the other. Her name is Lightball. Lightball has been in our garage chicken "hospital" recuperating for 5 weeks. When I put her back in the yard for the first time, the chicken that didn't get injured just attacked Lightball. I thought she would kill her so I took Lightball back inside. I made her a separate pen for outside where they can all see each other and maybe get used to each other again. Here's a photo.

Today was her first day out there and it went really well. After about an hour, they were all roosting next to each other but with the wire separating Lightball and the others. Then in the afternoon Lightball got out of the pen and started to wander around the yard. I supervised but they didn't attack her like last time. They pecked at her once or twice but it was in a more curious way than aggressive. I brought Lightball back inside for nighttime because she still has a bandage and open wound on her leg but I'm going to do this same thing everyday so that maybe they'll be used to each other and she can go back in the coop after the bandage comes off and the skin is all healed on her leg.

It sounds like you are doing just the right thing and hopefully in time it will all work out. I've gotten very attached to my girls too.

Please feel free to message me and let me know how it goes for you because I'd really like to know.

 

[Laurie Taylor]

Very cool!! That's a great idea. We want her to be with them pecking and eating. Who knew chickens could be so mean. I need to figure out how to add pics.

 

[lbartsch]

Just click the uploads link at the top center of the page.

Our chicken is doing great with the others now. She still kind of hangs on her own but they don't bother her at all and we don't need the pen anymore.

Hope it is going well for you.