Birdwithoutwings
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Hello, I am sure this has been discussed before but couldn't find a recent thread. I was gifted 2 chickens from someone local moving away. I already had 2 chickens and a cockerel in a large open orchard area. Lots of space. I put the 2 new chickens in a separate coop with run inside the orchard. They have had 4 weeks isolation but can see the other hens. I had to deworm and demite both and one had a respiratory infection which has since cleared up. I let them out under supervision and one was jumped on by both hens and cockerel and ran back in her coop. She sadly died the next morning, I think either egg bound or egg broken inside her from the attack. Now I am left with one chicken on her own to introduce. So last night I moved the 2 resident chickens into the coop and the new one into the orchard and large hen house with the cockerel. I thought she would fare better with just the cockerel to contend with. So far it's not looking great. She has had feathers pulled out from the cockerels attentions and a bleeding beak. Do I persevere or separate the cockerel too? I cannot see a happy ending to this. I'm not sure what else to do as very hard introducing one hen to a flock. Any suggestions?