Aggressive Hen

[StephanieB1220]

Ok so a few months ago I brought 8 new baby chicks in. I already had 2 older hens. I did not introduce them right away but the babies have been outside with my big girls for a couple of weeks now. I have noticed that one of my big hens has become aggressive to me if I come out to check on the babies and I don't pick her up right away. It has gotten to the point that as long as I'm outside I have to carry her around to keep her from pecking and jumping up to hit/scratch me. When she's in my arms she's snuggles in and is fine though. Is she just jealous? Trying to assert her dominance? Or what?!

 

[CluckerFamily]

How does she act with the pullets? I wouldn't stand for the aggression, you may want to put her in a crate for some time.

 

[StephanieB1220]

She definitely doesn't care for them but she's not being crazy aggressive with them. She chases them from time to time but shes not pecking them like she used to. I haven't noticed any scratches, blood, or the like on the pullets. For me though I describe her kick like a kangaroo. She flies up an inch or two and hits the back of my legs with her wings and claws like a kangaroo when they kick with their back feet. She never breaks the skin and like I said when I hold her she is content she just does not want me near the babies.

 

[CluckerFamily]

I would still put her in a crate. It's nice that she acts that way when you hold her, the issue is before that point.

 

[aart]

For me though I describe her kick like a kangaroo. She flies up an inch or two and hits the back of my legs with her wings and claws like a kangaroo when they kick with their back feet. She never breaks the skin and like I said when I hold her she is content she just does not want me near the babies.

Called 'flogging'.
She might be 'protecting' the chicks.
Not sure what you should do about it.
I'd be holding her down to the ground, being the 'head hen',
but I don't cuddle any of my birds.

 

[StephanieB1220]

Called 'flogging'.
She might be 'protecting' the chicks.
Not sure what you should do about it.
I'd be holding her down to the ground, being the 'head hen',
but I don't cuddle any of my birds.

Thats interesting! I thought maybe she was trying to protect them but figured no because she's not a fan of them. After she flogs me I'll call her name and tell her to stop and sometimes when I make that eye contact she lays down next to me. Would holding her down do any good at that point?

 

[lbgreenfield]

Hi. When my Buff gets aggressive like that with me or other hens, I do one of three things:
1. Pin her down to the ground and hold her there for a few minutes.
2. Squirt her with my high power squirt bottle right in the face.
3. If she’s being exceptionally nasty to me or the other hens, she goes in a milk crate for a few hours (very small crate).
Those three things seem to do the trick to calm her down and show that I’m in charge.

 

[Biring]

How aggressive is the hen? Does she draw blood? How much? I raise gamefowl/junglefowl crosses and here the aggression has not yet been bred out of them. What you are seeing is probably nothing compared to what chickens can do to each other, us and potential predators.

 

[aart]

Would holding her down do any good at that point?

Eh...what ever you need do to stop that behavior.
Not sure cuddling(reward?) is a good idea tho.
Hard to say what her problem is.
I've had pullets get aggressive when I handle another bird.

 

[StephanieB1220]

Eh...what ever you need do to stop that behavior.
Not sure cuddling(reward?) is a good idea tho.

I know!! When @cluckerfasaid to put her in a crate to show her who's boss i thought about the fact that I'm rewarding the bad behavior by cuddling her. I will try the pinning her down or squirting her before I try to crate her. I just know I have a busy

Called 'flogging'.

If she's protecting them she's doing a crappy job cause a hawk got one of my littles today. However, when I went out to clean up the little bit left today she did start to come at me and I pinned her down for a few seconds and when she got up she just kind of looked at me and just walked away. I honestly feel kind of bad because I love my chickens like pets but the behavior needs to stop and I do recognize that i've been rewarding her bad behavior by picking her up so I'm trying!