Attack chicken

AZmama

In the Brooder
12 Years
May 16, 2007
29
0
22
My sweet Honey, a buff orp, who is at the bottom of the pecking order, attacks my dh. He has never done anything to scare or intimidate her. She does not do this to anyone else, not even my rowdy, 4yo boy. Any time my dh reaches to pet her, she goes after him. Now, if I hold her, he can pet her.
Her personality is usually so timid and skiddish, except when dh tries to pet her. Mind you, he keeps trying!
Why would she do this, and is there any way to break her of it? (He has tried hand feeding her treats, and she will take them, but if he reaches to pet her, she nails him.)
He calls her Demon Chicken. My poor, sweet, Honey (the chicken, that is
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This is interesting behavior-
Could be a smell- try rubbing hands with fresh mown grass
Could be flash from jewelry
Could be body language- like you never look a horse in the eye.
or in the case of my peckish biddies- they're telling me they want more treats. I've made them pests by responding to the "bad behavior" They pull my shoestrings - I reward them for cute behavior- They attack my toes in sandals- that isn't cute anymore...

Have him try getting her off the roost at night. For really freaky birds I set them on a low tree branch in the dark, then pet them and put a forearm behind them- a light pressure on the backs of their legs and they step up on the arm. It was their idea so it must be ok.
Take her some place in the light she's unfamiliar with. Let her sit on his arm and stroke her back- I run a finger on either side of their spines down to the tail. They'll usually close their eyes after just a few min. Once they go to sleep- it's mostly over. The dark disorients them and my orps will not leave the safety of my arm, even back in the coop, I have to push them off

Do please post a follow up on this-
 

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