A behavior (BITING HEN!!!!)

[Flippacase]

I have two 17 week old pullets. I would consider them pretty tame. They let me pic them up for the most part, and don't mind people walking around near them. BUT..... If I were to squat down near them, Gladyss will come running up to me and just bite me! Where ever she can. In the hand, on the face, she's like one of those anoying little dogs, she even will bite your pant legs if you walk away!!!
DOes anybody elses HENS do this. (not roosters). And what can I do to stop her from doing this?(the little kids love her)

She scares me.

 

[BellLisamo]

Wow... never had a hen do that to me unless she had babies she was protecting....

hope someone can help

 

[canada-goose]

In my experience, it's best to pretend she isn't attacking you. Ignore....ignore....ignore....

 

[Featherland]

I have a hen that is like this. She would really annoy me. One day when she did this I just picked her up. I was very surprised to find out that this is what she wanted! She is so content to be carried around. I never picked her up before because I just thought she was mean. It turns out she was just craving attention.

 

[ChickBond 007]

I'd give her the "okay, you'll be my buddy" treatment, carry her around for awhile in the yard, carry some raisins, She might learn not to bite the hand that feeds.

 

[gryeyes]

Mine actually want attention, too. Picking them up and carrying them around for a bit mitigates the problem - I liken it to a little kid tugging at your pants leg, or skirt, or whatever is appropriate (for child or chicken).

Unless it's a REALLY hard peck..... then I'd still pick her up and carry her around.

Good luck!

 

[Flippacase]

i'll post a vid on youtube and post the link later.... just cause i thinks its pretty funny!

 

[flockoffour]

My ba hen does this too, but I have not been able to find a solution, and when I pick her up, she continues to try and bite my hand.

 

[azygous]

There's a big difference between a chicken that bites and a chicken that pecks. I have a rooster who used to bite. He would drill down hard with his beak, removing a large plug of flesh. It hurt like the dickens and almost always resulted in a bleeding wound.

I have a hen who pecks, and she does it like you describe. I can be holding another hen and she'll come up from behind and peck me on the back to let me know she wants to be held, too.

A biting chicken is a serious danger. A pecking chicken is merely trying to communicate.