Recovering hen & going back into the flock- Need Advice, Please!

[Chold05]

Hello everyone!
Starting a new thread since it's a slightly different question that my previous...

To make a long story short, I have a 2 year old ISA brown who started having runny poos. Xrays/Scans show an inflamed reproductive tract. We tried various meds and finally, implanted her on April 27th to try and help with the inflammation. She suffered a beak injury 4 days prior to her implant, so she is still somewhat sensitive and her bottom beak is slightly longer than her top so she has trouble pecking at grass, etc. We were scheduled to put her down today actually, but on Friday she started eating some crumble feed on her own so we decided to postpone. She's been inside with me during the day the last 2 weeks so I can monitor her feed intake and syringe feed her. She sleeps in the coop with the flock at night.

I've been syringe feeding her 4-6 times a day (and sometimes force feeding her mash). She currently weighs 3lbs 15oz. I try to take her outside every day to visit with her sisters because I know re-establishing the pecking order is going to be an issue, and has been. There's been numerous times our broody attacks her as well as our head hen when I'm supervising visits. She does stand up for herself, but I'm worried about it stressing her out even more.

I got unfortunate news that my employer is no longer going to allow me to work from home to take care of her as of May 23rd.

So that leads me to my question...

What the heck do I do?!?

Do I set up a dog crate in the run with food/water now and try to integrate her back into the flock before I go back into the office? If so, how many days do I keep her in there before she can mingle as usual?

Do I keep her inside and continue feeding her and trying to get her well enough until I go into the office then try to integrate her via dog crate?


I'm pretty exhausted at this point. I hate to give up after 2 weeks of relentlessly trying to help her and not to mention- how much money I've spent on this whole ordeal.

Any advise is more than appreciated.

-signed a very tired mama hen

 

[IvysAnimals]

I would say to just get some kind of crate and put her essentials in there and have her around her family / friends. Each night you could let her out there with her family / friends and even start letting her hang out with them while not in the crate. It would be best to do at least 1 - weeks before putting them together full time...Hope that helps!

 

[Chold05]

I would say to just get some kind of crate and put her essentials in there and have her around her family / friends. Each night you could let her out there with her family / friends and even start letting her hang out with them while not in the crate. It would be best to do at least 1 - weeks before putting them together full time...Hope that helps!

Thank you! I will try this!

 

[IvysAnimals]

If it's overnight, let her be in the cage so you don't wake up to some crazy injury or something....only when you start feeling comfortable with them being together outside of a crate, then you could have them out together at night maybe!

 

[bhawk-23]

I have VERY little experience integrating hens. The one time I had to because of a crop surgery and recovery taking about 3-4 weeks I decided to just put her in and stay. I knew who could potentially be the trouble makers so I placed myself between them and Esther. After about 3-4 attempts to bully her by 1 hen I grabbed said hen and made her submit. Then the roo came over so I grabbed him and also made him submit. Esther pecked Lucy (bully) a couple times and has been above her again ever since. The roo and Lucy were fine (I am gentle) with no I'll effects towards me nor Esther. All has been well for over a month.

Now, that being said, Esther was stronger and healthier than your girl it sounds. I will really be struggling IF I can keep my sick one alive AND get her healthy enough to reintegrate. That will be a whole other story. I'll be following this thread for info assuming I absolutely won't be able to do that method with this case.

 

[Mrs. K]

Consider adding one of the hens that were not attacking her, in an enclosure. Let that get settled. Add one more...then add the trio back to the flock. Adding a single hen is a difficult situation.

 

[Peas_And_Choi_Farm]

You mentioned you were syringe feeding her; will she eat and drink on her own at all? If so either the dog crate and/or the integration buddy ideas should work great. That said, I’d make sure she was eating and drinking enough. Maybe put out more than one feeder and waterer. I had a couple of hens in a similar situation (salpangitis) and even after I’d integrated one I’d pull her from the flock for a few hours every day and put her in a protected area by herself so she could forage and eat treats in peace. One in particular just wasn’t getting enough to eat when she was just with the flock. Or bring her in at bedtime and give her treats: scrambled eggs, yogurt, blueberries, crickets, a little bread, I was just grateful for anything my girls would eat when they were sick.

Good luck! I hope your girl pulls through and you can get her reintegrated!