Reintroducing my hen to flock (with a rooster) after injury

[MerleAndTheGirls]

I have 4 adult hens (June, Mini Pearl, Patsy and Dolly), 1 adult rooster (Merle) and 4 young hens that I introduced at 4weeks old. Everyone was living in harmony, then June, lead hen got hurt on some old wire we think on the property. I took her to the vet and they stitched her up and I kept her out of the flock for 2 weeks until her stitches came out. During that time, she thought she was becoming a house chicken. She would just come up on the porch and try to come in the house. She doesn't even want to be around the others when they come near her outside (I let then free range during the day, then they get locked up at night). So, my vet said after her stitches were out and she looked great, to just put her back into the coop at night and let her re-learn how to be a chicken. So I did and the hens didn't bother her at all, but the rooster, Merle (who is the sweetest guy ever, my 2 year old holds him and hand feeds him-- he's just great and kind), started attacking her on the neck and injured her neck where she just had the stitches- she's back out on her own and I'm treating her wound, it's not that bad, just needs to heal. So, my question is-- how do I get her back in without him tearing her up? I've read several posts on putting reintroducing hens with hens, but not with a rooster? I could take the rooster out for a few days and let the girls reacquaint, then put him back, but I wasn't sure if this would work? I really want to keep him, but since she has been out of the flock, I feel like everyone is trying to escape, go their own way and act crazy-- I feel like I'm losing control as alpha of my flock (I've always been a dog girl, so alpha is important and control in the house is important) and now I feel like I've got chickens running a muck Please help!

 

[Mrs. K]

Pulling a chicken causes problems, as introducing a single hen back to the flock is tricky. I think I woul suggest, pulling one of the hens from the flock and putting her with the injured bird. There may be a scuffle, but one on one is fair. Keep them together for a week, insight of the others if you can. Then pull the rooster, put the pair back in after dark, wait till the flock is acting ok with the new birds, maybe a week, then add the rooster back in. If you have to add a single bird, a rooster is the easiest.

Mrs k

 

[MerleAndTheGirls]

Oh thank you so very much! I will make another run next to the one I currently have and I do have another small coop that I could use temporarily. My hens are all very sweet to my injured one. Is it best to have her buddy with one or could I just put her back in with the hens and pull the rooster for a week and keep him separated? Does he have to be able to see the hens, or could he be isolated so he isn’t trying to harm himself getting to them? This is such a great help to have this forum to talk on. Please let me know what you think of just putting her back with the hens and pulling the rooster for a week? Thank you Mrs. K!

 

[Mrs. K]

Well give it a try and see. It might be that your hens are nice....but it might be they expect the rooster to defend them, with him gone, they might be mean.

Sometimes you just have to try things. Sometimes mixing it up, allows it to work. Looking back at your post, how sure are you about the original injury. It might be a space issue, where as what enough room for the original flock of full grown birds plus little birds is not enough room for all full grown birds.

Sometimes flock dynamics change, and a certain bird does not fit in. Always solve for the peace of the flock.

If this does not work, take a good look at your set up, and measure, look at all the space, is there good use of the vertical space, or do you need to cull some birds.

 

[MerleAndTheGirls]

Oh they have a coop large enough for 18-20 birds and I am not hatching eggs. I only have 4 young hens that just started laying in April (one is the injured one) and then 4 newer young hens that will start laying early August. They have free range of 2 acres for the 9 of them (rooster included). The hen that was injured just happened to fly over the property line (we have a wooden horse fence with flushed wire) and she must have gotten caught on an old piece of wire we didn’t see during clean up. She was the lead hen. And without her neck feathers, where they had to pluck for sutures, the rooster is too rough with her as she’s trying to get back into the flock and tearing her skin back up. I’ll see how she does with just the hens. All my chickens were hatched by their mommas and been hand fed and held their whole lives, so they are extremely friendly. Hoping taking my big boy out for a week allowing her time with the girls will do the trick! I appreciate so much your advise— thank you so much!

 

[aart]

Welcome to BYC!

a coop large enough for 18-20 birds

Curious what this mean in feet by feet. Would love to see pics.

Mrs. K has covered the situation/solutions well.
A separate but adjacent pen and shelter can work wonders.
Mix it up, try a few different things...but give them time to work.

I would segregate the cockbird first and let the girl reunite.
He won't be happy, but persevere.
If he looks like he is going to harm himself a wire dog crate out of sight might be a solution.

Best of cLuck!

 

[MerleAndTheGirls]

Thank you so much for the encouragement! I’m certainly going to do my best! All my feathered honeys are my babies and I don’t want to have to rehome any of them

Here is the coop, I took this pic right after we built it and they were still young birdies This was their first day in! I still had 2 other young roosters at the time— but they found homes with their own girls I didn’t want a rooster but because they were mixed breed and he developed so slowly, we thought he was a fat hen— then we fell in love!

There’s is a very small run just in case they have to be locked up but they run on 2 acres! I’ll go take a pic and send — I just had these on my phone!

 

[MerleAndTheGirls]

Last night was very successful! Merle was put into the “man coop” for the night — he’s going to have a staycation this week — ha ha! June (injured) went in with all her sisters and there was peace in the coop! Today she’s trying to get out and back to me, but I’m trying to stay out if sight so she learns again that she’s a chicken! Merle is in an adjacent run where he can see the girls but cannot get to them! He’s not acting crazy, make growing more than usual but I think the girls are relaxed without him I’ll keep those who have been so kind to help me, updated! Prayers I can get through a week of this ha ha!