Aggressive girls

[kerusnak]

I don't even know if its aggression or our own anxiety but both my husband and I experienced this. My girls are 18 weeks BSL, when we go in to feed them, replace water, etc they come running over (excited for treats) but lately they have been pecking us a lot. At first I thought it was my red nail polish but they crowd us and get very close, walk on my feet, peck my legs, fly on the roost and lean towards me. I just wave them away but a couple times I've felt this panic like they were all going to turn on me and I would get mauled. I just tell myself "you are silly you can take on 6 chickens" and move on. Last night my husband shared the same thought of being scared that they were all going to attack him. I am just guessing we are new at this and aren't used to all these new chicken behaviors but I was wondering, does anyone else ever feel this way?

 

[lindalouly]

My husband doesn't like it and get anxiety when they hop on his lap. The pecking is them trying to get your attention for treats. You can throw some sunflower seeds out there when you are feeding and watering them to severe their attention... But if you swat them away enough they will stop. Mine no longer peck. It's my fault that hubby is scared cause I trained the girls to jump on my shoulder and lap to say hi. Lol poor guy. Now he keeps sunflower seeds with him so they don't jump on him... But now they follow him everywhere!!!!

 

[sourland]

If they are running out of feed and water prior to your tending to them, it is simply that they are overly hungry or thirsty. They do associate you with food, but are not looking to eat YOU.

 

[lindalouly]

They also calm way down after they start laying eggs and will submit to you when you are around. Hang in there. 18 weeks is still young. Plenty of time to calm down.

 

[Spartan22]

My Rhode Island Reds were like that love to peck my legs or hands until I either pet or pick them up. Now that they are all laying,(2-3 wks) they become more submissive and friendlier. A couple of them still wants to snuggle around my legs so I normally scratch their heads and they will just squat and go on their business. It's almost a stage from being chicks to terrified of me, to pecking me, to wanted to be petted.

 

[song of joy]

Assuming they aren't running out of food, they should be respecting you and your personal space. My hens and pullets come running when they see me, but I won't tolerate them walking on me or pecking me. You might want to try going out to them with no food occasionally, so they don't always associate you with food. You may also want to "step on a few toes" . . . literally (but not too hard). . . so they learn to keep a respectful distance from your feet. I've done this accidentally a few times while carrying feeders or waterers, so they've learned to stay a foot or two back from my feet or risk getting stepped on.

When I have an aggressive hen who wants to peck and challenge me (which happened with a particularly assertive RIR called Sassy), I put my hand on her back and gently press her to the ground until she relaxes. This is the dominant / mating position that a rooster assumes with a hen. I only had to do this a couple of times, and the pecking behavior stopped. Now, when she's thinking about challenging or pecking me, she usually stops herself as she's learned it's not worth it. I've had to repeat the lesson once or twice over the past year, but I'm impressed at how quickly she learned to respect me.

I have one other hen (a dominique) that pecks my leg to get my attention so I will pick her up. It's a gentle peck, and it's pretty obvious she is not doing it to be aggressive. Sometimes you have to watch carefully and interpret their actions to know which need correction and which are OK. If you're afraid of their pushiness, it sounds like their actions are in need of correction, which means a different management style from you (see above). I've heard BSL can be rather assertive, so it would be prudent to address this now rather than later.

Best of luck to you!

 

[kerusnak]

Thanks all. I know they associate me with food and sometimes I give them treats every day and then they get spoiled always expecting it. I do go in there to clean or water their grass bed so they know they don't always get food. They have never run out of food or water, they are just piggies. They also never have wanted me to pet them, I have to catch them to do that and they seem ok once caught but don't enjoy being caught. Hopefully once they start laying they will relax. I'm adding oyster shells tomorrow!