Reintroducing a Recovered Hen Back Into The Flock
26 Jan
“I had a chicken last weekend who when I went to put them to bed, couldn’t walk/ jump/ fly and was rolling her head, I picked her off of the bottom of the floor level coop (not her coop) and brought her inside, alarm bells obviously raised thinking it was Marek’s or Newcastle disease with the head/neck twisting! I had to wait until Monday before I could see my lovely chicken vet!
I took video of the chickens behaviour on my phone all through the weekend so he’d have an idea what we were dealing with. She gradually improved though day by day. On seeing the vet and him seeing the video, which he said was invaluable, and noting how she was otherwise fine in herself, eating drinking and now walking, he concluded she had hit her head or more likely been bullied by one of the other hens, cornered and repeatedly bashed on the head. Basically she had sustained a head injury which caused swelling / bleeding. He gave her covering antibiotics.
My problem is she’s has just started attempting to jump / fly onto the sofa with varying success, her coop is 4ft high and vet said before she goes back out she needs to be able to confidently make that! Once she’s well, how do I reintroduce her? My flock consists of 6 hens and one cockerel?
- 3 Plymouth rock bantams (she’s one)
- 2 pekins (1 cock 1 hen)
- 2 rescued ex-battery hens (1 of which is a terrible bully)
I don’t want her to be bullied again. Any ideas? Kindest regards” ~ Victoria Nightingale, West Sussex, UK.
Victoria, thanks so much for the question.
Before I get on to the answer, I’d like to point out to our readers the tremendous way you handled this situation.
First of all, you were very observant. You were aware of all of her external symptoms while you started considering possible causes.
You then thought to document her behavior with the video you took on your phone. That information was invaluable for your vet. We have a very dear friend who is a retired veterinarian. He has shared, that one of the hardest parts of his job, was the fact that the animals could not tell him how they felt, what hurt or what had been happening lately with their health.
By having the video available for your veterinarian, you saved both of you a lot of time and probably money due to testing that may have been necessary.
Finally, I appreciate that you brought her inside and were aware of her improvement as well as the fact that you got her to the veterinarian as soon as you were able.
So, “Way to go Victoria!”
Okay, on to your question.
The concern is that she has lost her place in the pecking order. Someone else has shifted into her place in her absence. It is likely that she will be treated as a newbie when she returns and that means there could be a lot of pecking and intimidation going on.
Because you do not know whether it was one or more hens that attacked her, or what prompted the attack, the concern is whether she will be a target when she returns. The difference being, if a particular incidence prompted the attack and will not likely be repeated or whether there is a real “personality conflict” (for lack of a better term) amongst the hens. (more…)


































