When to reintroduce post picking by other hens

[Nicola Gosse]

How big is it, in feet by feet?
Dimensions and pics would help immensely here.
Crowding into too small a space is the number one reason for picking/bullying

10sq feet per hen so 40sq ft with lots of branches for perching, three feeders spread out and a cube block to peck at. I even put up a swing

 

[LaFleche]

...should she have all her feathers before I reintroduce her...

Yes, I would want to have her fully feathered and then put the friendliest of the three others with her and see how they get along.

 

[Nicola Gosse]

Try putting some Blu Kote on her back perhaps.

Also are your chickens usually in the run, or usually free ranging the yard? If they're usually in the run, realistically assess your run - does it have stuff for them to interact with? Things to dig through, to climb, to hide behind? Bored chickens cause problems, busy chickens don't have time to do that.

The run is approx 40 sq ft for four hens with multiple branches, feeders spread out and even a swing.

 

[Nicola Gosse]

I am feeding them starter crumbles as the baby is younger so the highest protein content. The cube I’m using is this one.

 

[Nicola Gosse]

Here is a photo of their run and coop in my shed.

 

[rosemarythyme]

It's a very pretty set up but sounds like minimum space isn't agreeing with these girls. Having room to add more clutter to provide more hiding spaces would be ideal but it's going to be hard to find things that will fit and work effectively in that space (think out of sight, out of mind) but not eat up too much floor space at the same time.

 

[LaFleche]

Here is a photo of their run and coop in my shed.

Very cute setup, but for integration purposes quite narrow and small.

With free ranging several hours a day they might release their otherwise pent up energy and be more mellow with the younger chick.