6-7week old chick charging feet...is this normal behavior?

[Lobzi]

What can I do to stop this aggressive behavior? It seems she has gotten worse since I put her outdoors in a run during the day. Could she be showing me she is mad at me for relocating her during the day? I still try to spend a lot of time with her outdoors, but she does seem to prefer being in the house where she was raised.

 

[HenniePennie]

On occasion I would go outside wearing my sandals & give my girls a treat. Invariably they would start pecking at my feet/toes.
I think that they just don't realize they are our toes so they check them out by pecking at them hoping they are food!!
I now always wear closed toed shoes when I go outside or near the chickens.
I love my girls but they cannot have my toes!!

 

[jdr250]

My chicks did the same thing for about a week after they were put outside. I would have on sandals and they would try to creep up on the toes like they were food. What I started doing was vigilantly watching my feet and when one would get ready to peck I would yell no and push them with my foot. I don't know if it trained them or if they finally figured out that if I'm so busy yelling no and pushing them with my foot I'm not putting the good stuff in my hand down for them to eat

Now my meat chickens that doesn't work with them they have even tried taking hunks out of my legs but I figure that is because they are just gluttens who want to eat anything and everything.

 

[Lobzi]

Thank you so much for your responses. I am doing the "NO" thing with her and it seems to be working. I read on here that chickens can be trained, regardless of their relatively small brain size...one just has to be consistent with them. I am so worried that I created a little monster. There were so many times when she was young and I kicked or nearly stepped on her. She just loves to hang out under my feet, especially when I am in the kitchen. I know she is hoping for a tidbit of food. The problem is that I dont have eyes on my feet....I have since learned to move much slower and deliberately. This gives her a chance to move away from my feet.