Reintroduction after injury

[dmayo2]

Good day.

I've searched here and can't find a solid answer.

I have 4 hens raised together as chicks this spring. Only one is laying.

A non-layer flew the coop and the neighbor's dog got it. We've been treating her for 2 nights with oral erythromycin and Vetericyn+ antimicrobial poultry Care spray. Last night she felt good enough to fly/hop out of the box in the garage. There's no blood anywhere. She didn't bleed much but the skin was torn.

I put her back in the coop run, and let the other 3 out of the coop. There's never been any real pecking at each other. But another non-layer is pecking at the reintroduced hen. 2 days. She's not pecking at the injury area behind the wing toward the tail, she's pecking at the neck area.

Suggestions?
The attached was the wound at the time of attack.

Only suggestion is separation of the two so they can see but not touch (dog crate). The nights are getting cold here in Michigan. What to do at night?

Thanks

 

[sourland]

I would remove the bird that is pecking at her from the flock for a couple of days as long as the others are not. Upon reintroduction the 'pecker' will have to worry about regaining position.

 

[dmayo2]

Thank you. Keep the pecker in the garage at night?

I "shooed" the pecker away while I was in the rún immediately. Will they just pick a bit, or so much that the bird will be injured?

 

[aart]

Will they just pick a bit, or so much that the bird will be injured?

There's no predicting that.

@sourland 's suggestion is a good one, break things up.
Separate one or two of the others for short periods of time(12 -24 hours).
Mix it up day to day.
Chicken Juggling.

How big is the coop/run?
Adding some clutter can break lines of sight and just change the environment to distract all involved.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/

 

[YCKMO Chickens]

I would remove the bird that is pecking at her from the flock for a couple of days as long as the others are not. Upon reintroduction the 'pecker' will have to worry about regaining position.

I agree with @sourland. If this doesn't work, the injured one away a little longer.

 

[Ridgerunner]

The nights are getting cold here in Michigan. What to do at night?

They are fully feathered. What is cold to you is not cold to chickens.

Keep them dry where they are sleeping. Don't house them where it can rain on them and they cannot get to a dry place.

Make sure they have decent ventilation. When it gets below freezing frostbite can be a risk, especially if it is humid. With good ventilation most chickens can handle well below zero Fahrenheit without a big frostbite risk. The moisture can come from their breathing, their poop, or maybe from waterers with thawed water, let alone rain.

Keep them out of direct breezes strong enough to ruffle their feathers. Slight drafts are good as that helps manage moisture levels but a cold breeze hitting them can release the air bubbles trapped in their feathers and down that insulate them.

Basically what you should be doing anyway. They do not need others to keep them warm. Their down and feathers will keep them warm whether they are huddled together or by themselves as long as they are protected against wind and high moisture.