Reintegrating a picked-on chicken with her sisters

[aryanromo]

I've attached a pic of my coop set-up. I have 3 hens. About a month ago, they escaped the coop, and a neighbors dog broke into the backyard and roughed one of them up. She lost a couple of feathers and was in shock but otherwise was not hurt.

That said, I moved her to the "emergency coop" - the chicken tent - just for a 2-day recovery and to make sure she was really okay. Then, I reintegrated her, and one of her sisters attacked her and practically pecked all of her head and neck feathers out.

I pulled her again to the ER coop. Cleaned her up, babied her, treated her with Hen Healer, then Pick No More. I let her feathers come back in; she was looking really healthy and good. Took a little over 2 weeks

.

They could see each other; they were always talking to each other; she wanted back into her coop. But I waited.

I did a a deep clean of the coop. Fresh everything, very thorough. Made sure she was coated with Pick No More, and reintegrated her. I kept a close eye for several hours and things seemed to be going well.

Then I went out this morning and she had been picked at again so that she was bloody. So she's back in the ER coop, and I'm not sure what to do. Suggestions?

 

[sourland]

Once she is healed, remove the aggressive bird and reintegrate here with the less aggressive bird. After a couple of days reintroduce the aggressive bird and monitor closely.

 

[Cookies-Chickens2004]

Put her back in the coop and find out who's picking on her. Take that chicken and put her in the tent for a few days. This will allow the injured hen the ability to get back with the flock with a peaceful transition. Meanwhile, the aggressive hen will be knocked down a peg in the pecking order, and it should change her attitude a bit. After a few days put the aggressive one back in coop and watch her. If she goes after the injured hen again, take her back out into the tent for a week this time - knocking her down in the pecking order. She should figure out the bad behavior isn't being rewarded, and will hopefully stop.