Suggestions on how to reintroduce Rooster and 4 Hens all injured in dog attack?

[ilovethechickns]

About a week ago, one of our dogs found a way into the outdoor chicken run, where our entire flock was outside the coop, even though it's cold here (AB, Canada). My fault entirely. Long story short, the chickens survived but all 4 hens plus the rooster were injured, and are in dog crates in the spare room (AKA chicken infirmary) recovering. They have different levels of injury and will take different times to heal before being put back outside in their coop.

Currently, Neil the rooster is in his own crate, the 2 most injured hens (Brownie Alice and Toes Alice) have their own separate crates, and then the least injured 2 hens (Trumpeter Alice and White Alice) are together in one. All 4 crates are side by side. The rooster and 2 less injured hens may be ready soon to go outside, but is it wise to put Neil out there with only 2 Alice's?

I have pics of some of their wounds on my blog: http://farmcapers.blogspot.ca if you care to see.

Would Neil be lonely if he was out there by himself? He was severely traumatized in the attack. All his tail feathers were plucked off.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Den in Penn]

Once they are all stabilized, if you have the room in the coop, move them all to the coop at one time with the worse injuries ones in the crates. If they all all can move with out problems you could just release them all. Maybe hiding the wounds with something like blukote. I would worry a little about the rooster reopening the wounds trying to mate. By turning the coop into to the hospital they will not be any separation while they recover. Also they will not need to readjust to the colder coop. If you don't have the room in the coop try to hold them together in the same place as long as possible and release them to the coop close in time as you can. And try to hold the last two to be released at the same time.

 

[Mahlzeit]

I agree with the above post and would try to release them all together again when they are healthy. If you release the rooster and 2 hens first and then later add the other 2 hens it will disrupt the pecking order and there will be a bigger squabble possibly reinjuring one or more.

 

[ilovethechickns]

Thank you so much for your advice! The coop is too small for dog crates - even one, really - so I decided to bring them back in. They'd only been out there for a few hours anyway. Neil the Rooster, normally very aggressive, was very docile and even relaxed as I carried him back inside. Same with the hen. I think we will keep treating their wounds and keep them all together inside (separate crates for each one, now) for at least another couple weeks until some feathers grow back on them. No rush! I'd rather do this safely than have more harm done because we were impatient.

Thanks again!!