Problem Reintroducing Skittish Hen

[Chapmangc1]

Hello!

I have five hens that are about eight months old. They were all “best friends” until about four weeks ago when one hen injured herself and had to be isolated away from the rest of the flock. Three weeks later, I tried to slowly reintroduce her back into the flock, but one of my chickens started to pick on the injured hen. The hen that is picking on the injured hen was recently bumped down in the pecking order from second to third and I believe she is trying to make sure that the injured hen doesn't take her place in the pecking order. The other three hens were not causing a problem or hurting the injured hen. But a couple of days after working the injured hen back into the flock, the bully hen attacked her and pulled a lot of feathers. This caused the injured hen to get really scared. Then, whenever she saw any of the other hens, she would run away from them, which would make them chase after her and peck at her. I bought pin-less peepers and put them on the other chickens and it was starting to work until, today, the bully hen got her pin-less peeper off and she is going after the injured hen the same as she did before I put the pin-less peepers on. At this point, I'm not sure whether to isolate the bully hen or not. The only problem with isolating the bully hen is that the hen that bumped the bully hen down in the pecking order is pulling the bully's head feathers, so I don't want to pull the bully hen out and then have a problem reintroducing her back into the flock later. I plan on trying to put the pin-less peeper back on the bully hen, but if she gets it off, then I'm stumped on what to do next.

(Note: The pin-less peepers have stayed on all the other hens and the injured hen is not scared of them anymore and they aren't pecking her; it is just the bully hen that I'm having the problem with.)

Thank you to anyone who takes the time to read my problem and help me find a solution!!

 

[Obsessed With Silkies]

This happened to one of my chickens when I had to isolate her when she was sick. What you can do is in your chicken pen, have a separate are divided by fencing and put the chicken you're trying to introduce in that pen. This will help establish the pecking order again without killing each other. At night, you can stick the chicken you're introducing in the coop on a roost. This should help introduce her without many problems. Hope this helps!

 

[Chapmangc1]

Great!! Thank you so much for the tip!! I will have to give that a try!

 

[Chapmangc1]

Update:

So far, the pin-less peepers are working and the injured hen is becoming more confident around the other hens and is not running away from them as much. I plan on taking the pin-less peepers off of one of the two hens after Easter to see if she pecks at the injured hen. Thank you for you help Obsessed With Silkies!! It is very comforting to know that others out there know what to do since they have gone through the same experience!

 

[Obsessed With Silkies]

Not a problem!

 

[DrTheMomm]

What is a pin-less peeper? I recently was given a Rhode Island Red, and my original flock, one Australorp, two Amberlinks, another recently-acquired RIR, and a beautiful banty of unknown breed seem intent on killing her. I resorted to putting her in my bathtub one day with a blanket and food and water so she could have a chance to heal. She huddles in the coop all day, and the other girls take turns going into the coop and working her over. Now I just let her free range all day. She tries to sleep in the garage at night, but my husband won't let her, so I think she sleeps under the bushes. I didn't know my friend was going to give her to me, so when he showed up one night with her, I just put her in the coop with the others, so they woke up in the morning and there she was.

If pin-less peepers - whatever they are - would help this situation, I'd like to try them.

 

[Chapmangc1]

What is a pin-less peeper? I recently was given a Rhode Island Red, and my original flock, one Australorp, two Amberlinks, another recently-acquired RIR, and a beautiful banty of unknown breed seem intent on killing her. I resorted to putting her in my bathtub one day with a blanket and food and water so she could have a chance to heal. She huddles in the coop all day, and the other girls take turns going into the coop and working her over. Now I just let her free range all day. She tries to sleep in the garage at night, but my husband won't let her, so I think she sleeps under the bushes. I didn't know my friend was going to give her to me, so when he showed up one night with her, I just put her in the coop with the others, so they woke up in the morning and there she was.

If pin-less peepers - whatever they are - would help this situation, I'd like to try them.

They are basically a blinder so that the chicken can not see in order to attack and peck other chickens. You do have to be careful and monitor the chickens with these on because sometimes swelling can occur. They have worked very well and the skittish hen is now back in the flock no problem and I was able to take off the pin-less peepers with no more bullying. If you have tried everything to get your new chicken into your existing flock and nothing is working,I would suggest using these. Here is a link to the pin-less peepers:

https://www.amazon.com/DSSPORT-Pheasant-Blinders-Spectacles-Anti-Pecking/

 

[DrTheMomm]

They are basically a blinder so that the chicken can not see in order to attack and peck other chickens. You do have to be careful and monitor the chickens with these on because sometimes swelling can occur. They have worked very well and the skittish hen is now back in the flock no problem and I was able to take off the pin-less peepers with no more bullying. If you have tried everything to get your new chicken into your existing flock and nothing is working,I would suggest using these. Here is a link to the pin-less peepers:

https://www.amazon.com/DSSPORT-Pheasant-Blinders-Spectacles-Anti-Pecking/

Thank you. I ordered some from Amazon. Now I just hope I can figure out how to put them on!

 

[Chapmangc1]

Thank you. I ordered some from Amazon. Now I just hope I can figure out how to put them on!

No problem! I would watch some YouTube videos on how to put them on because you can hurt the chicken if you do it wrong. You will need to have someone holding the chicken when you put the pin-less peepers on so that the chicken doesn’t move on you. I hope they help for your flock like they did for mine!