MamaBelle5
Songster
We have an established flock of 6 birds and 1 that we have been trying to integrate for months now.
We have been doing the "look don't touch method". She has been in a large dog kennel right up against their run, where their feeder and waterer are located so they get used to her. We also let them free range often (not daily, dependent on weather and if we are home) and do so so they're all together. The other day they took dirt baths together. Previously, the top hens would run her off, but they were all content.
Nilla had been trying to get in the coop with them to roost for a while, we had been putting her in in a small dog carrier with a top that has bars so they can still see each other. So Friday, while they were free ranging, we just let them all go into the coop together in the evening with no issues. Saturday we went down frequently to check on them. Nilla had lost a couple of feathers, but otherwise seemed unscathed. There are a couple of places to hide in the run and in the coop. We just assumed she was being told her place. She is a buff Brahma and very submissive.
Sunday we were away most of the day, but when we came home, she was fine.
Monday, up until about 1pm, everything was fine. Then my oldest went to check on her and came running back in that she was bleeding a lot on her neck and one of our other hens had her pinned down and wouldn't get off of her. I ran down and took care of it and picked up Nilla. The whole back of her neck was bloody, but the injury was a small, deep hole, right below the base of her head.
I cleaned her wound with antiseptic and put blue kote on it to mask the redness (it blends in very well with her black feathers) and set her down to free range on her own to keep her away from the bullies. I then put the three top hens who I know start everything in the dog kennel until my husband got home and he could help me put pinless peepers on them. We decided to do the whole flock because the other two hens started going after her without them and I didn't want our roo making things worse with where her injury is trying to mate with her (she is actually his favorite).
I'm at a loss with what else to do. This has been going on for months and months. I'm assuming it was because she's the lone new comer so that makes her the only target, but she was a gift. I am adding several new birds coming up here but I'm worried that will make things worse for Nilla, not better. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
We have been doing the "look don't touch method". She has been in a large dog kennel right up against their run, where their feeder and waterer are located so they get used to her. We also let them free range often (not daily, dependent on weather and if we are home) and do so so they're all together. The other day they took dirt baths together. Previously, the top hens would run her off, but they were all content.
Nilla had been trying to get in the coop with them to roost for a while, we had been putting her in in a small dog carrier with a top that has bars so they can still see each other. So Friday, while they were free ranging, we just let them all go into the coop together in the evening with no issues. Saturday we went down frequently to check on them. Nilla had lost a couple of feathers, but otherwise seemed unscathed. There are a couple of places to hide in the run and in the coop. We just assumed she was being told her place. She is a buff Brahma and very submissive.
Sunday we were away most of the day, but when we came home, she was fine.
Monday, up until about 1pm, everything was fine. Then my oldest went to check on her and came running back in that she was bleeding a lot on her neck and one of our other hens had her pinned down and wouldn't get off of her. I ran down and took care of it and picked up Nilla. The whole back of her neck was bloody, but the injury was a small, deep hole, right below the base of her head.
I cleaned her wound with antiseptic and put blue kote on it to mask the redness (it blends in very well with her black feathers) and set her down to free range on her own to keep her away from the bullies. I then put the three top hens who I know start everything in the dog kennel until my husband got home and he could help me put pinless peepers on them. We decided to do the whole flock because the other two hens started going after her without them and I didn't want our roo making things worse with where her injury is trying to mate with her (she is actually his favorite).
I'm at a loss with what else to do. This has been going on for months and months. I'm assuming it was because she's the lone new comer so that makes her the only target, but she was a gift. I am adding several new birds coming up here but I'm worried that will make things worse for Nilla, not better. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
