Angry hen?

[LittleJerrySeinfeld]

Please help, I've had my hen for about five years now, and she used to be nice. I don't exactly remember when, but since maybe around 2 years ago (?) she has been acting very angry and pecking everyone all the time. We used to have other hens up until recently (they all died in some way

), and when it came down two our last two, she was definitely at the bottom of the pecking order.

So, now she's all alone, and she hasn't changed much, except she follows me around more (thought a lot of the time that's just to peck my foot). I give her a lot of treats and things and I'm quite nice to her, but she doesn't seem to notice

I don't know what to do! I want to be able to let her out of her house without her attacking me! (BTW, she often goes out of her way just to do it.) Any help at all would be appreciated

 

[ethingtonart]

I really don't know, but....... maybe you are at the bottom of the pecking order now?!

 

[3goodeggs]

Now that the hen which I have been recuperating from her 'terrible incident' (that happened down on the bottom rung) is healing...I understand now why someone beat her up! Gee whiz. After all the love, care, and sweet babies... all that lap time... I don't know what to tell you. Sometimes birds are birds, and some times they are people dressed in feathers...And some people really belong in an asylum.

 

[LittleJerrySeinfeld]

Quote:
lol, I'm sure you're right about that. But what can I do? Peck her back?

 

[ChicknJ]

Quote:

yes, hens can be cranky old broads

 

[waterpossum]

the more i read the less i know. can/t wait to hear more comments on this one...maybe one day i/ll be on the downhill side of learning

 

[feathersnuggles]

Jerry, if she's all alone, that is not normal for a bird. They are flock animals. Any way you can get her some flock-mates? She's probably become a little neurotic from not having a flock to hang with. ??

 

[Akane]

I give her a lot of treats and things and I'm quite nice to her, but she doesn't seem to notice

Animals are not people. Yes if your really mean to them they wouldn't be friendly and might fight back but if your always nice and never discipline it won't make a nice animal. They never got lectured on the golden rule while in school. Their thought process goes more along the lines of "This creature doesn't harm me and gives up all it's food. I can beat it up for more food!". All you did was make yourself the bottom of the pecking order. Animals at the bottom of the pecking order tend to be meaner to animals they think they can make lower than them. They are desperate not to be the bottom. With no one left to discipline the hen she has probably made herself flock leader except you're her flock now. This is much more obvious when you work with both friendlier and larger animals like horses and smarter animals like dogs. I've been asked to work with lots of spoiled dogs and horses where people thought the same way. "I'm always nice to him and bring him treats so why does he bite me?". Cause you never told him he can't and it might get him more treats. It does also apply to friendly chickens but there doesn't seem to be too many good ways to discipline a chicken. Another chicken is probably the best way to keep a chicken in line. We use that method with ornery young horses. Toss them in a pasture with an older dominant horse and they learn to stay in line without any humans getting run over, kicked, bit, etc...​

 

[the simple life]

I believe its because she is alone, hens are flock animals and are not meant to be alone.
You need to get her some friends ASAP.

 

[chookchick]

She is probably a very sad, lonely hen, and expressing it in the only way she knows how. Please get her a friend, and whether she is bottom or top of the pecking order, I am sure she will be much happier.