When chickens attack !

[1300dollaregg]

Hello everyone, We have a Red Sex Link who injured her chicken Knee. We isolated her in the garage to see if she would heal but the joint is to badly damaged. She eats and drinks and appears healthy. She is just going to limp for the rest of her days. I wrapped the joint and put her back in the coop and the other 3 chickens immediately attacked her. She'd only been gone from the coop for 3 days! She is now in a cage next to the coop. My question is. How long will it take before the others let her back in the coop without attacking her ? I would appreciate any advice anyone could give me, Thank you.

 

[Jesusfreak101]

Probably three to four days but they will still peck her when you put her in there because she has to be put back in to the pecking order. So techincally they will still attack her.

 

[Jesusfreak101]

And if you have an injured in later on to avoid reintroduction you can keep them in a cage in the coop itself and they remain part of the flock so they dont get beat up when they get released because the others will remember her and wont see her as a threat.

 

[azygous]

Your problem may be long term, not just a re-entry issue.

I had an EE hen who developed a problem with her leg. Early on I didn't even notice anything, but the flock did. When they began tormenting her was when I noticed she was having trouble walking and hopping up steps. Over the next two years, her leg became steadily worse, and eventually she was no longer able to get around.

As her leg became worse, so did the bullying by the flock. I had to segregate her in her own pen, and when the flock would no longer allow her to roost in the coop, I had to provide a bed for her in the garage, and the warmer garage seemed to help with her pain and she was more mobile. During the summer, I rigged up a crate in her pen in the run and she laid her eggs there as well as slept in it at night.

The flock flat out refused to accept her after she began to go lame, and that seems to be the way of chickens. They are extremely hard on any chicken who displays any sort of physical infirmity.

One thing you might try is baby aspirin to help relieve any pain your hen might be experiencing. That helped with my hen for a couple years, and she was able to get around a lot better because her pain was being managed. I gave her half a baby aspirin twice a day. I even gave her a quarter tab of glucosamine each day, which also probably helped extend her days of getting round normally.

 

[aart]

I'd leave her in the crate within the coop/run and let her recover more.
If you can, confine the other birds and let Limpy out for a stroll to strengthen her leg and assess her healing progress.

You may have to set up something to make keeping her separate but visible to the flock longer term easier for all concerned.
I can split my coop with a temporary chicken wire wall to isolate birds if needed, it also has a separate run.
It's very handy when needed and can be taken down when it's not needed.

BTW, great username.

 

[1300dollaregg]

I purchased a smaller crate that will fit in the coop and run. The other chickens don't seem to be as perturbed with her presence as they were yesterday. Hopefully in a few days she'll be able blend back in. Thanks everyone for your advice. The next coop I build will have a chicken infirmary section. I might have to change my user name to 2000dollaregg soon. Unless someone already has that name. Thanks again.

 

[donrae]

I agree they may never accept her back. Chicken's aren't known for compassion. Flock dynamics is more survival of the fittest. This hen is no longer fit in their eyes. She's a predator magnet as far as they are concerned. Doesn't matter if the flock is safe from predators, they don't know that in their little chicken brains. Injured or unfit animals are often cast out of the group. You may need to consider long term separate housing for her. maybe a companion like a silkie or bantam cochin, something like that to keep her company.