Should I Put My Pecked Polish Back with the Flock?

[SeaSea47]

Thanks for all your help yesterday, but now I have another question.

I had to separate one of my three Polish chickens yesterday (all of my chickens are about 2.5-3 months old) because she was being pecked. She's got a nickel-size bare spot just above her tail feathers and is missing some tail feathers. I put blukote on her bare spot, and she seems otherwise healthy. I have her in solitary confinement on the back porch where she has plenty of space, sun, food, snacks, water, and even a little dust bath.

My initial thought was to remove one or both of my other two Polishes to keep with her so she wouldn't be lonely and maybe even get them their own coop/run this weekend. And I may still do that eventually. But I was watching the other two Polishes with my flock this morning, and they are holding their own and even going after my roosters. Everyone is working on pecking order now, plus they've been cooped up for a week because of really bad weather, so I'm sure that led to her being pecked. My question is: Should I try to put her back with the flock in the next day or two? Should I wait? Should I go ahead and separate all the Polishes and create a second flock? Any advice is appreciated. Thanks!

 

[SeaSea47]

@JustBabyMargo , do you have any ideas?

 

[JustBabyMargo]

@JustBabyMargo , do you have any ideas?

Thanks for the tag! If you are really wanting to you can try and see how it goes! Watch over her for a little while and make sure no one pecks her or anything. If there is bullying remove her from the flock again but if there is no bullying you can leave her out and just keep a close eye one her!

 

[SeaSea47]

Thanks for the tag! If you are really wanting to you can try and see how it goes! Watch over her for a little while and make sure no one pecks her or anything. If there is bullying remove her from the flock again but if there is no bullying you can leave her out and just keep a close eye one her!

You're my go-to Polish expert now. Should I put her out today or give her another day of rest do you think? And thank you!

 

[Azangie]

Thanks for all your help yesterday, but now I have another question.

I had to separate one of my three Polish chickens yesterday (all of my chickens are about 2.5-3 months old) because she was being pecked. She's got a nickel-size bare spot just above her tail feathers and is missing some tail feathers. I put blukote on her bare spot, and she seems otherwise healthy. I have her in solitary confinement on the back porch where she has plenty of space, sun, food, snacks, water, and even a little dust bath.

My initial thought was to remove one or both of my other two Polishes to keep with her so she wouldn't be lonely and maybe even get them their own coop/run this weekend. And I may still do that eventually. But I was watching the other two Polishes with my flock this morning, and they are holding their own and even going after my roosters. Everyone is working on pecking order now, plus they've been cooped up for a week because of really bad weather, so I'm sure that led to her being pecked. My question is: Should I try to put her back with the flock in the next day or two? Should I wait? Should I go ahead and separate all the Polishes and create a second flock? Any advice is appreciated. Thanks!

You can try putting her back I have a rooster with a broken foot kept him in solitary while he healed now he's doing fine with the girls he's even walking better now that he's with the flock again always keep an eye though

 

[JustBabyMargo]

You're my go-to Polish expert now. Should I put her out today or give her another day of rest do you think? And thank you!

Aww thanks! I personally would leave her inside for another rest day. But it’s all up to you! You know how she’s doing better than I do! You’re welcome.

 

[SeaSea47]

Aww thanks! I personally would leave her inside for another rest day. But it’s all up to you! You know how she’s doing better than I do! You’re welcome.

I may just do that tomorrow then. She's laying down a lot, and I figure she's had an entire week of having to constantly watch for the others. I just don't want to wait too long so that they won't accept her back.

I've only had to put one chicken in solitude in the past - she became egg bound and bled, and I had to take her to the vet and put her on antibiotics. She was separated for a nearly a week. When I tried to reintegrate her into the flock, they nearly killed her on multiple occasions, even with her sleeping in a cage next to them. She was the biggest and highest on the pecking order before the incident too. It was so sad, so she basically lived in a cage next to their coop, and I'd let her free range each day, but she was soooo lonely.

And then one day, out of the blue, I had two random chickens just show up in my yard - no idea where they came from - and they started hanging out with her and became her best little friends. They'd go in her cage and get on the roost with her. So, I built a second coop for those three.

 

[SeaSea47]

You can try putting her back I have a rooster with a broken foot kept him in solitary while he healed now he's doing fine with the girls he's even walking better now that he's with the flock again always keep an eye though

How long did you have him separated?

 

[JustBabyMargo]

I may just do that tomorrow then. She's laying down a lot, and I figure she's had an entire week of having to constantly watch for the others. I just don't want to wait too long so that they won't accept her back.

I've only had to put one chicken in solitude in the past - she became egg bound and bled, and I had to take her to the vet and put her on antibiotics. She was separated for a nearly a week. When I tried to reintegrate her into the flock, they nearly killed her on multiple occasions, even with her sleeping in a cage next to them. She was the biggest and highest on the pecking order before the incident too. It was so sad, so she basically lived in a cage next to their coop, and I'd let her free range each day, but she was soooo lonely.

And then one day, out of the blue, I had two random chickens just show up in my yard - no idea where they came from - and they started hanging out with her and became her best little friends. They'd go in her cage and get on the roost with her. So, I built a second coop for those three.

Yeah but a couple days *should* be fine. This is another reason why you will need to be keeping an eye on her.

That’s a sad story turned sweet!

 

[SeaSea47]

Yeah but a couple days *should* be fine. This is another reason why you will need to be keeping an eye on her.

That’s a sad story turned sweet!

Well, I went out to check on the whole flock, and one of my white rock hens went and pecked both my other Polishes on the backs as soon as I got out there, but then she ran over and pecked a cochin and one of my roosters as well..like she was just looking for backs to peck.

But tonight when I was putting them up, I did notice that the other golden-laced Polish is missing a couple of tail feathers. But she doesn't act timid like the other one. She actually goes back at anyone who messes with her. I'm really thinking about trimming all of their head feathers this weekend though. The buff one couldn't even see to get back into the coop tonight.

I'm just not sure what to do. I guess it will depend on whether the other one does well with the group tomorrow morning. I know them all being stuck inside for the last week while we had terrible weather probably got some tempers flaring. Plus, I have got to figure out what to do with two of my four roosters. I don't even like two of them, but it breaks my heart to think of getting rid of them. I don't know if I have it in me to put them in a "roosters only" flock because I'd have to build them something to live in, especially if I end up having to do a Polish only group too. I guess I could buy the two roosters a little coop?

I'm just not having a great week, and this chicken drama isn't helping.