Recovering hen being SERIOUSLY rejected by her flock of 4

[GardenGal]

We had a similar problem for a couple weeks, and it helped to keep her separated during the day with one or more of the chickens that still liked her. They all free ranged okay, and it was okay in the coop, but there was no way I could leave her in the run with them. The hen who was picked on got really good at sticking with the rooster who didn't mind her. We ended up re-homing the aggressive hen and the roosters.

I like the idea of keeping your hen with one other for a week so they might become buddies. It's a tough one. Sure hope your hen does well!

 

[pigcoon]

Sounds so similar to mine (@nakstk). I think the hard part is that the recovering hen is not as strong as she normally would be so they are taking an unfair advantage-- not truly an honest pecking order. Honestly it taps into my sense of social justice and opinions about bullying and attacking the weaker member and just gets to me!

I know they are just chickens but come on!

No, really I get it, but it is very difficult to watch.

I do have some ideas to try now but none of them are terribly convenient! I hope we don't get to the other side of it and then have her relapse and go through it all again (due to them depriving her of food).

 

[pigcoon]

So I just tried having them all 'hang out' while free ranging for the afternoon. I thought they could just scratch around for bugs together and chill out. Well my recovering hen acted like such a weirdo that they continued to reject her. She skulked around and called attention to herself. She knows she's a reject. I strongly feel that if she'd just act more 'normal' they would go along with her. I don't know why she is acting like this. When she is inside in the crate, she acts like a normal chicken.

This is just such a catch 22. The reason they rejected her, stressing her out in the first place, might be because she acts funny.

 

[pigcoon]

So last weekend I tried what some have recommended. I waited til the flock was sleepy and placed her in with them. There was a little bit of scuffling but they settled back down. Things went great (I presume) until morning. When they came running out to greet me, they 'noticed' her and isolated her again.

So, it has now been a week. She spends most of her time in the inside coop. While she seems stronger (much) she doesn't seem to have "permission" to come out. Or she doesn't feel like it, who knows? She seems healthy enough though. I have been feeding her twice per day- I latch her in and give her some high protein food and water, then unlatch her.

So, it's going kind of o.k. because she's not in the basement anymore and she's somewhat integrated. But I don't know what would happen if I didn't arrange for her to have two feeds a day. I suspect she would weaken again and we'd be back where we started. If I go away, my other family members are not likely to do this. This isn't scheduled until mid Feb. but it's a problem on the horizon.

 

[Vanessabuffsnsilkies]

Maybe try a cage inside the coop to reintroduce. Keep her in there for a few days. They can see each other, but cant fight. Then take her out and see how it goes.

 

[pigcoon]

They are not fighting any longer. She is just not 'allowed' to eat really and she is fearful of them all,so she stays inside the coop and won't venture into the outer run.