Buff Orp comes after me!

[Iwannachicken]

Hi,

I have a small mixed flock of 3 GLWs and 2 BOs, all hens. The Wyandotes are flighty and won't let me get near them.
The larger of the Orpingtons is friendly, but not "lap chicken" material, which is fine, but the smaller one has become aggressive
toward me and my DH when we open the coop to feed or water them. She'll eat scratch feed out of my hand but if I reach in for the feeder or waterer
she raises up and puffs out and will aggressively come after me.

I've tried just pushing her away, but for the last couple of days I've had to be real forceful about it. She's not aggressive with the other hens, just people.

Any ideas?

They are almost 7 months old and haven't started laying yet.

Thanks for any feedback.

 

[henryetta]

mabie "she's" a "he" ?

 

[Iwannachicken]

She doesn't crow and her comb is smaller than the other BO.

 

[henryetta]

i've had agressive hens wen they are 'broody' but since yours arent laying, i doubt thats' the case..lol It'll be interesting to hear what someone might add..

 

[kayri]

How old are they? Sometimes when they are "teenagers" they start feeling their oats but I found all of my hens calmed down and became more friendly when they started to lay. When she comes at you, maybe if you try picking her up and carrying her around, that might let her know that you are the boss. Sorry your buffs aren't friendlier, we used to love our buff-Amelia Earhart- but she flew over the fence one day and I think a fox got her. . .

 

[Iwannachicken]

They are almost 7 months old.

I haven't handled them much since they went into the ark. I'll try carrying her around a little.
She was the friendliest chick of the whole flock when she was small. This behavior has just started
in the last couple of weeks.

Sounds like Amelia Earhart was aptly named!LOL

 

[MIKE555444]

Quote:
I vote broody... lol

Is she making and "clucking" noises?

 

[adkchickmama]

We have one RedStar hen , Daisy from our original flock of peeps. She is agressive and pecks at me when filling food bowls or water so I swoosh her away with my foot and she puffs up and comes after me all the more. If I try to pet her she tries to bite me. Yet this is the most inquisitive hen that always has to to follow us around and be nosy. She loves to get in the garage and sit on my Hubbys table saw (which he hates) and in general just likes to be around US. I found that if I pick her and hold her and pet her she calms down. Sometimes I think she is asking for attention as she got held a lot as a baby. She is not the dominate hen either. I agree with the folks that say hold and pet her . Seems to work for us. Good luck!

 

[urbanolive]

I have 2 buff O's and they do the same thing. In fact I wish I had done more research into this breed because I am now reading alot that these aren't the friendliest of birds ( of course there are exceptions ) , mine are mean and scream bloody murder if you try to pick them up or hold them...we might try to give these away because of our small children!

 

[Mojo Chick'n]

Perhaps because she is the smaller chicken she gets pushed aside from the food, and since you got her so accustomed to being a lap chicken, she feels comfortable enough to push YOU aside when she thinks you're taking her food.

She is probably lowest in the pecking order, and feels that you are lower than she is.

meri