MaxBaz Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 In another post, I told the story of wonderful Lilly surviving a dreadful fox attack - and gradually after 5 weeks being nursed back to health in her own Eglu she is getting stronger but still with large wounds under her wings. She is a little miracle for sure - BUT the next problem is that the other 4 hens will not accept her back. Even on a one to one with the mildest of the hens she is terrorised after about 5 minutes even in a large space. She genuinely is petrified when one of the others comes near here now. what on earth do I do? Do I get a new lone hen for company for her - or leave her alone in a cage until the end of her days? She is so much better but can't run away quickly enough and just cowers in panic. Poor little girl! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 My suggestion is that the best thing to do is start from scratch and go for the slow intro method as described here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaxBaz Posted August 11, 2011 Author Share Posted August 11, 2011 Believe me I have really tried - this is two weeks on... I put a large wooden trellis barrier between Lilly and the 4 others initially, that allowed them to put their heads through but not their bodies - that was the first stage for a few days and then distributed food to both sides of the trellis at the same time. No attacks at that point this stage for a couple of days. Put one hen (the smallest one) in part of the garden fenced off - about 20ft square with open Eglu in the corner - with just Lilly and lots of distractions - area for dust bath and food. Fine for about ten minutes then Lilly attacked. Kept on with this for most of a week and it is still the ten minute rule - but now she is getting so scared she doesn't even like coming out of her Eglu if they are anywhere around. If the other hen goes into the Eglu while she is there then it doesn't even last 5 seconds before she is attacked. She seems absolutely petrified. Haven't attempted more than one hen in same area with her. She even scrambled up the Cube steps and onto a perch I have set up inside run to escape - she was so desperate - and they were about 6 feet away Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lindafw Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 if she is that bad I would go with getting her a young friend where she is top hen due to size and age..., maybe even a bantum? what does everyone else think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mollyripkim Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 Yes that sounds like a good idea, maybe one of the bantam gentle breeds. Sounds like she has lost her confidence after all she has been through. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 I think I would carry on with her in the seperated area until the wounds really heal. The stress of integration when she's still healing may prove too much. I would leave them in seperate areas together and just let it carry on really slowly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
