trying to reintroduce injured hen to flock, and its not working

[mpguay]

about 10 days ago, a raccoon killed one of my sweet green-egg laying hens. we checked all around the coop for weaknesses and fixed them.
the next night the raccoon took 4 eggs from under our broody hen AND was caught trying to make off with my little polish hen. I thought she was dead, but was severe shock more than anything.

I've been letting her recover in a closed large dog kennel INSIDE the coop. she was in no shape to go out for days. when she was, i would supervise outside visits with the other hens. had to referree a few peck attacks.

Last night, we caught the raccoon (juvenile) in a hav-a-heart trap. By morning it had gotten out of the sprung cage.

Today she was doing so well outside with the girls that i let her free in the coup to roost as usual. In 10 minutes, the other 3 hens had drawn blood from her. now her rehab it set back even more. I put her back in the kennel. and i set the trap again.

will I ever be able to get her back to the flock?
In 10 days im expecting 8 chicks to hatch, could i use this new family in some way to reintroduce the injured girl?

She has more personality than all the others combined. I'd hate to lose her, or alienate her from the flock.

Any advice?

 

[emvickrey]

I would just keep letting them free range together and chasing away the ones that go after her when they do. Don't leave her unattended while they are all out there together. Hopefully they will loose interest and leave her alone. If not you may have a house chicken. Thats how I got one.

I hatched a bunch of sizzle eggs and one was always smaller than the rest and developed at about half the rate as the others. She lived with them for months then all of a sudden she was attacked. Her poor little head had gotten pecked to where she had bloddy spots on it. I found her cowered in a corner of the pen trying to put her head out of their reach. So now she's the house chicken and has her own bedroom, which is a cage. She lays eggs and had gone broody so I gave her some of her sisters eggs which she hatched and is taking care of the chicks very well.

So you may never be able to put her back but you can give it a shot with discouraging the other hens from attacking. I have had it work before but not always.

This is George and her foster babies. Oh, btw, she's wearing her easter feathers.

By emvickrey at 2011-04-29

 

[Turkeyrangler]

Try putting her on the roost after dark. I've done this and it seems that if the hens wake up with her then things seem to do much better. When you let them out in the morning watch for a while, but this should reduce the drama you've been having.

 

[emvickrey]

You'll want to get up extra early to make sure she isn't getting attacked when they wake up and see her. Just in case.