re-introduction advice

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Sian

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One of my hens was sitting on the nest all day, not doing solid poos and generally appearing pretty unwell over the last couple of days. I thought she may be egg bound so took her in, gave her a bath and kept her in the house overnight. This morning she seemed far better and had done a properly formed poo(no egg though) so I put her back in the garden. It was ok to start with but the others are now attacking her. I've done it before with a couple of my other hens with no adverse affects however they were both high up in the pecking order. I had hoped it would be ok as she was only out of the flock for about 18 hours but I guess that she smells differently because of the bath and being at the lower end of the pecking order is getting it worse than the others have in the past.

Is there anything I can do to make it easier or do I just have to ride it out and let them settle? I'm concerned about her going in the coop tonight if they are still being aggressive. Any thought would be well received.
 
Crisis averted. I decided to delay cleaning out the coop and shut her in it for half an hour with the one hen who has no interest in chicken hierarchies, so now she smells a bit more like the others and seems to be ok.
 
If you can just check that she has gone into the coop to roost with the others tonight, she should be OK by the morning as she won't be attacked whilst they are asleep and by morning she will smell like all the rest. If by any chance she is afraid to go to roost, wait until the others are settled and then lift her in to the coop.
Putting her in the coop with a friend was a very good idea, I think.
 
All went well and today everyone is much more settled.

On another note, does anyone have any experience of missing talons? Do they grow back and are they problematic? Two of my hens have a missing claw, which I always presumed happened in the battery and were all healed over and would be no issue. However it looks as if one of them is beginning to grow back and she has developed a lump on the underside of her toe. Do hens get ingrowing claws and do they require and specific treatment?
 
My silver laced dotte bantam Hattie has a claw missing. The breeder I puchased her from told me this from the outset and I took her to give her a good home. It does not seem to give her any problems. ;)
I understand this sometimes happens when they are chicks if they tread in poo a lot and it is missed by the breeder.
 
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