aggressive baby cochin!

[chicken1234]

I don't know she seems really aggressive and angry not scared the way she charges me. I will keep trying picking her up but right now as soon as I put her back she flys at me and pecks hard. Its also hard to get your hand over her she is right up on her tip toes looking at my hand. I hope she gets over this because honestly I'm not sure I can deal with this because I like my pens clean so I'm in there all the time.

 

[Tiana's chickens]

I've seen 3 chicks that seemed aggressive.
First one was real aggression, he'd rip other chicks apart (literally).
Second one had only ever eaten food out of hands so whenever he saw hands he'd peak them wondering where the food was for a while.
And the third was a pullet (around 7 weeks), not sure why but she'd leap and kick my hands and peak very hard at me every time I went to clean or feed them. I was determined not to give her any sort of reaction though and she gave up after a couple of tries. Since then she's grown up into a lovely hen and we haven't had any issues with her.
I think for your situation most importantly don't give a reaction, if she starts trying to rip you apart while your cleaning, act like she's not even there and continue what your doing (if it's hurting put on some gloves), you dont want her to know she can hurt you, and you want her to give up trying to regardless of why she's doing it.

 

[Aapomp831]

Why would you have to put a glove on? That doesn’t make any sense to me.

 

[aart]

Why would you have to put a glove on? That doesn’t make any sense to me.

Because chicken beaks can cut skin.

 

[aart]

I don't know she seems really aggressive and angry not scared the way she charges me. I will keep trying picking her up but right now as soon as I put her back she flys at me and pecks hard. Its also hard to get your hand over her she is right up on her tip toes looking at my hand. I hope she gets over this because honestly I'm not sure I can deal with this because I like my pens clean so I'm in there all the time.

Have you been able to grab her around her body to pin her wings?
That's the main objective at first.
She may be incorrigible, I'm guessing that's why she was for sale.
I don't blame you for not wanting to deal with it...not sure what you can do with her then.

 

[Aapomp831]

Because chicken beaks can cut skin.

I have had baby chicks scared and peck at me... it feels like a toddler tapping me with its finger. It seems like you may have an irrational fear... wearing gloves to handle chicks just seems ridiculous to me. Pick the chick up and hold it; talk to it. Don’t be scared of something that barely weighs a pound yet.

 

[aart]

I have had baby chicks scared and peck at me... it feels like a toddler tapping me with its finger. It seems like you may have an irrational fear... wearing gloves to handle chicks just seems ridiculous to me. Pick the chick up and hold it; talk to it. Don’t be scared of something that barely weighs a pound yet.

Maybe you've never really been bitten by an aggressive chicken.
This bird is 2 months old, so not a baby, and may be a devil incarnate.

 

[Aapomp831]

Maybe you've never really been bitten by an aggressive chicken.
This bird is 2 months old, so not a baby, and may be a devil incarnate.

I guess not... have you considered that maybe it’s a rooster?
Here’s they way I look at it... it can’t be much different than training a scared dog. This chick has got to be picking up on your fear. I agree with the above poster.... ignore the damn thing. Wear gloves if you have to but that still seems like total overkill to me. If it continues, I would put him in a stew pot because there’s clearly something wrong with this chick in the head. But just like you wouldn’t put up with a toddler pushing you around - don’t stand for it with this chick! You are basically god and if it can’t understand that than it may not be a good addition to your flock.

 

[Pugsabi]

It sucks this happened to you. I would probably give up on it and take it to freezer camp. It will take a lot of work to rehabilitate it. But if you're up to the challenge I'm sure you will get plenty of advice as to how to move forward and I'll be rooting for you!

 

[aart]

I guess not... have you considered that maybe it’s a rooster?
Here’s they way I look at it... it can’t be much different than training a scared dog. This chick has got to be picking up on your fear. I agree with the above poster.... ignore the damn thing. Wear gloves if you have to but that still seems like total overkill to me.

Did you look at the pic of this bird, in the first post?...at 2mo doubtful it's a cockerel.
Maybe gloves are overkill, they can make it harder to manipulate due to loss of 'touch', but if it helps reduce the fear factor of the handler they are a perfectly acceptable tool-no need for shaming the use of them. The keepers fear factor is real, and anything to help alleviate it is a good thing. I even use gloves at times, thin rubber palmed ones, usually with a newly broody hen, just to avoid having the tender thin skin on the back of my hand being grabbed tight and twisted.