reintroducing injured pullet

[Lormin]

Hi-I recently introduced 5 new 8 wk old hens to my flock-I had four full grown hens, a bantam hen, and a bantam rooster already. All was going well and a couple weeks later saw that the speckled sussex had an injured eye and was kind of staying to herself. I took her back in to be by herself and heal-she kept the eye closed at first and it was very swollen. I used antibiotic ointment for about a week and it seemed to be getting slowly better. When she would open her eye, I could see the iris and pupil but it was cloudy. After a week or so the eyeball seemed to turn almost completely white. She started opening it more and more. I would take her down to the coop with me when i was going to be there to watch her to let her get used to being with the others but they, of course, didn't take to her very well. Her eye suddenly started to look better, it seemed like the white "covering" was slowly shrinking toward the center of her eye. Now she only has a tiny white speck in the center of her eye and you can see the iris and pupil again. I'm not sure she can see out of it though. I'll take her back to the coop but the other chickens -all of them-act like they absolutely hate her and dont even want to be near her. She also acts terrified of all of them. She'll go into the coop and stay indefinitely while they're outside until i get her- or the ones her age will all try attacking her and she just cowers. She's very clingy to me too which i've never had happen before. I've got experience with chickens and i know they can be cruel and take a while to accept a new one but this is way more intense then i've seen before. I'm wondering if something could be wrong with her and they know it or is she just that traumatized and she'll never be able to be integrated with them again. I believe that they pecked her eyeball to injure it in the first place and they seem to want to peck her eyes now when i put her with them-i don't want to just leave her with them because i'm afraid they'll peck her eyes out. She's the sweetest chicken i've ever had. Anyone had anything like this to deal with?

 

[Mrs. K]

Separating chickens can cause a lot of problems. A trick that should work, is don't add a single bird to an established flock. There are two problems: stranger and territory.

If you can, lock your established flock out of the coop/run. Or section off a side of the run and put the established girls in that. Letting the new girl explore the coop/run. Feed along the fence line. Do this 2-3 days. This will let her explore and get comfortable in the new situation, without being chased for her life.

Next you need to bring a single bird into her. It is best to pick a bird that is not the top or the bottom bird.

Put them together where you are keeping her. Now there will be some dust up, but it should be one on one, and it should settle fairly quickly. After 2-3 days, when they are fairly solid. Try the next step.

Now depending on how many you have, you could add a pair to the pair, keeping everyone else out. Or you can turn everyone out into the yard for the most space. Do this rather late in the day. Spread out treats, and watch, interfering only if necessary. A squirt gun can help.

If they all just go to the coop, your golden, otherwise it might take a day or two.

Do have hideouts in the run (a lot of runs are just empty rectangles where every bird can see every other bird, and no way to get out of sight. Do have multiple feed bowls, set up so that a bird eating at one, cannot see a bird eating at another.

Mrs K

 

[Lormin]

Separating chickens can cause a lot of problems. A trick that should work, is don't add a single bird to an established flock. There are two problems: stranger and territory.

If you can, lock your established flock out of the coop/run. Or section off a side of the run and put the established girls in that. Letting the new girl explore the coop/run. Feed along the fence line. Do this 2-3 days. This will let her explore and get comfortable in the new situation, without being chased for her life.

Next you need to bring a single bird into her. It is best to pick a bird that is not the top or the bottom bird.

Put them together where you are keeping her. Now there will be some dust up, but it should be one on one, and it should settle fairly quickly. After 2-3 days, when they are fairly solid. Try the next step.

Now depending on how many you have, you could add a pair to the pair, keeping everyone else out. Or you can turn everyone out into the yard for the most space. Do this rather late in the day. Spread out treats, and watch, interfering only if necessary. A squirt gun can help.

If they all just go to the coop, your golden, otherwise it might take a day or two.

Do have hideouts in the run (a lot of runs are just empty rectangles where every bird can see every other bird, and no way to get out of sight. Do have multiple feed bowls, set up so that a bird eating at one, cannot see a bird eating at another.

Mrs K

thank you- i think i'll try that strategy of keeping her separate and adding one of the others her age to see if they can get along. I haven't tried that yet-fingers crossed!