update on "Reintroducing Hen to flock" Red, Blue, and Yellow

[Callacda]

An update on my last post""I only have 3 hens. They are pets really. One was sick and I removed her from the other 2 that were raised with her. I call her blue. They were all three raised together from the time they were chicks, close and never fought. They all knew their place in the flock. I call them red, blue, and yellow due to their leg bands. Yellow has always been the top hen because she is the largest. Blue was the one that was sick and I brought her in my house in a kennel. She lost weight. I would like to put more weight on her before I put her back because they tried to beat her up when I put her in with them the other day. I want to get blue back as soon as possible. I don't know what to do. Can I take out the other two, put them in a crate and reintroduce them one at a time, or what? ONLY 3 hens. What would be the best way?"" Well I put Red and Blue in separate crates but next to each other for a week on my front porch. Then I transferred them (Red and Blue) back to the coop and run, and put Yellow in a crate by her self on my front porch. Red and Blue are the best of friends again. Yellow is separate in the crate on my porch. Blue is still not as big as she was before, but feeling much better, and red in not a bully, just the dumbest of the three. Blue is the smartest, and Yellow even bullies me when I walk in the run to be with them. ***To those with more experience***, when do you think I should try and put Yellow back in with the other two. I feel sorry for her all by herself. But I don't want Blue hurt by her and Red. Red will follow the leader, if yellow picks on blue, so will red. (Red = Dumb but nice) Please Help! I don't want to screw up again. Not sure what to try. Like I said, Red and blue are doing fine back in the coop and run. Yellow is on my porch in a crate. Words of advice please. (My idea right now is after a week on my porch, to take yellow's crate off my porch and put it next to the run for a couple of days, or however long you think, and then put her back in the run with the other two.)

 

[NatJ]

(My idea right now is after a week on my porch, to take yellow's crate off my porch and put it next to the run for a couple of days, or however long you think, and then put her back in the run with the other two.)

That sounds like a good plan.

Watch how the other hens act when Yellow is in the crate next to the run. If they act scared or avoid her, continue to keep her in the crate until they have at least a day or two of acting like they do not care. The total time might be as short as two days, or it could take more than a week.

If they act scared, she is more likely to act like a bully toward them. So waiting until they are both comfortable will make her less likely to pick on them. (No guarantees, just a way to increase your chances of success.)

 

[Callacda]

That sounds like a good plan.

Watch how the other hens act when Yellow is in the crate next to the run. If they act scared or avoid her, continue to keep her in the crate until they have at least a day or two of acting like they do not care. The total time might be as short as two days, or it could take more than a week.

If they act scared, she is more likely to act like a bully toward them. So waiting until they are both comfortable will make her less likely to pick on them. (No guarantees, just a way to increase your chances of success.)

Thank you so, so much!! I will do that. Would like to ask another question if you know or anyone else knows.
Like I said, Blue was sick for a while, and had stopped laying. I put her in a warm bath two days ago and she laid something the next day that looked weird. She hadn't laid eggs in a while. It was not an egg. It was about the size of an egg (kind of weird shaped). There were broken shells inside covered in a beige leathery/fleshy covering, as if it were wrapped around small pieces of broken shells as it was a growth covering an irritation. I can't take a picture because I already threw it away. Was going to bring it to the vet but I didn't. Went to work instead cause she was feeling much better. Haven't the slightest idea what it was.

 

[Callacda]

thanks to everyone so much

 

[NatJ]

Like I said, Blue was sick for a while, and had stopped laying. I put her in a warm bath two days ago and she laid something the next day that looked weird. She hadn't laid eggs in a while. It was not an egg. It was about the size of an egg (kind of weird shaped). There were broken shells inside covered in a beige leathery/fleshy covering, as if it were wrapped around small pieces of broken shells as it was a growth covering an irritation. I can't take a picture because I already threw it away. Was going to bring it to the vet but I didn't. Went to work instead cause she was feeling much better. Haven't the slightest idea what it was.

Maybe a lash egg?
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/what-is-a-lash-egg-all-you-need-to-know-more.77939/

(I've never seen one in person, so I'm just guessing from what I've read and what you described.)

 

[rosemarythyme]

x2 on possibly a lash egg - did you happen to take a photo of it? If not, if you get another one, cut it open if you can and photograph it so we can ID it.