Aggressive Hen

[Elaine E]

We have three Rhode Island reds, they are 18 weeks old. They are huge pets, my girls carry and hold them constantly. They come up to the door and peak for attention. They follow us in the yard and come running anytime we walk outside. The problem is one of them is getting aggressive with us! Well I guess I'm not sure what she is doing but she keeps peaking us! The other day she got my hand bad enough for it to leave a pretty good bruise. She kept trying to get my daughters feet this morning and when I went to get her off my couch she got me.
Any ideas?

 

[Elaine E]

I didn't see this post before writing in about the same problem I am having with my Buff O. I'll follow your post and perhaps it will help me get my own bratty girl to behave. I am going to go find a fly swatter right now.

 

[igorsMistress]

I had one like this....I called her Joan Crawford. Just bugged me all the time. I never did get her to stop.

I just give em a peck with my finger or a flap of the elbow if they get pushy. Works with my rir girls. I have a mixed flock, but the reds are the most aggressive.

 

[BeccaNS]

Well she is not getting any better but it looks like I'm her main target. I tell her no and even swatted at her tail feathers a little. Once I pick her up she stops pecking me! I keep telling her if she doesn't behave she is going to my moms to see how "real" chickens live. Lol. At least she always seems excited to see me when I come outside, comes running from where ever to peck me!

 

[igorsMistress]

Well she is not getting any better but it looks like I'm her main target. I tell her no and even swatted at her tail feathers a little. Once I pick her up she stops pecking me! I keep telling her if she doesn't behave she is going to my moms to see how "real" chickens live. Lol. At least she always seems excited to see me when I come outside, comes running from where ever to peck me!

Maybe she she needs love and wants to be held.

 

[BeccaNS]

Maybe.... when I let them out she isn't interested in running off she is all about getting me. I wouldn't care except she is getting me good, leaving bruises. She got me with her claws today because she was trying to get between my feet. I can't even walk with her under my feet. Tonight their door to the house got closed they lost their little minds banging on the window

 

[aart]

Picking them up when they peck is just prolonging the the problem, IMO.

Have had this happen several times, mostly with hand fed chicks often as they come of age and get spunky. It's pretty easily curbed with calm and deliberate determination.

I peck them back, on the head or anywhere I can reach, with the tips of thumb and first 2 fingers, as hard and fast as many times as I can before they get away. Well, not hard enough to hurt them, just startle them and let them you mean business. That's what another chicken would do, so they understand that kind of communication.

If that doesn't work after a couple applications, I hold them down to the ground with my hand on their back until they submit....again firmly enough to get the job done but not hurt them....add a few finger pecks and/or tug on the feathers on the back of their neck.

 

[alexa009]

My red sex link had got a aggressive with me and my little siblings not long ago and I was surprised because she was really friendly. I held her down to the ground and I stood over her to show I was boss. Don't be to gentle either on the hen or she is not going to listen. My hen has gotten better but I have to do this daily so she doesn't get aggressive.

 

[arnoldbe]

I bought 4 Buff orpington, 3 Black Australorp, and 3 ISA Brown pullets on 1 Apr 17. One of the Australorps appears to be a rooster who crows day and night. No problem as long as he doesn't get mean. So far he is not aggressive at all; however, the largest Buff is a huge bully and the rooster does nothing to stop her. She seems to enjoy pecking the other hens and chasing them. In the past two week things have taken a turn for the worse. She has started aggressively pecking at the other Buff's combs to the point that they have black spots and are missing chunks of their combs. When I catcher terrorizing the others, I whack her with a rake. Tonight I locked her out of the coop and left her in the run by herself. I don't know what else to do. Tomorrow I'll try to isolate the bully in a dog kennel. Hopefully this will work. Otherwise, I'll be inviting her to Sunday dinner. Has anyone else had any luck rehabilitating a mean hen?