Can pullets get aggressive before they start laying?

[MommaCluk]

We have 4 pullets that are almost 4 months old. They are in their coop most of the day but they get let out for a couple hours a day until we get their big enclosure fenced off. My son (3yo) and I have raised them from day old chicks and I am very strict with my son about not tormenting or chasing them so they will trust and feel comfortable around us. Today, while they were let out my barred rock seemed very feisty. Very out of character for her, she's usually the wimp of the group. She would charge the other girls but not make contact. Then she started chasing/charging my son. She didn't make any contact either but it seemed clear to me that she was trying to challenge him. She did peck at my bucket I use to clean the coop. I pushed her away w the bucket and she minded her own business. Then the last time she charged at my son she almost like chest bumped his leg? Never seen that before lol. So I actually charged at her to show her that I was in charge and she didn't move. She basically squared up to me so I shoved her back and chased after her! She is fine now for the moment but it just seems very strange for her! I guess my question is, could this be because her hormones are changing to start laying? Do chickens get feisty from being couped up too long? My other girls are sweet. Her comb seems to be bigger than the others (Australorp, Orpington, Americauna). Any advice on wut i should to for the future?

 

[TheKindaFarmGal]

Can you post some pics of your chickens?

 

[MommaCluk]

These are my girls!

 

[sassysarah]

No, but they can get aggressive for no reason... I have a red sex link that acts like a rooster. She will leave me alone if I don't bother her, but if I touch her chest she will claw me and peck at me, also her neck feathers go up

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

What are the dimensions of the coop they are confined in? There are many things that may be causing frustration in your birds sand that frustration often comes out behaviorally.

 

[MommaCluk]

What are the dimensions of the coop they are confined in? There are many things that may be causing frustration in your birds sand that frustration often comes out behaviorally.

I don't remember the dimensions. It's roughly 4x8? The coup id open on the bottom so they have quite a bit of room for 4 chickens for an enclosed coup.

 

[TheKindaFarmGal]

Hmm. 4 X 8 is pretty big but not if they are in there a lot. How much time do they spend in the coop? Maybe they need more space.

 

[MommaCluk]

Hmm. 4 X 8 is pretty big but not if they are in there a lot. How much time do they spend in the coop? Maybe they need more space.

They're in there about half of the day. We are working on building a large enclosure for them, so it's not permanent fortunately. Once we get the fence up they will be out all day and closed up at night.

 

[aart]

4x8 is plenty big for 4 birds.

Can't really see the birds well enough to determine that you don't have a male in there,
but it doesn't look like it.

A 3yo human may not understand enough to adjust their behavior around the birds.
Little kids' fast movements and high voices can make the birds feel anxious and thus fight rather than flight.

Any bird can become assertive/aggressive....she/he might need some dominance training from the keeper.

 

[MommaCluk]

4x8 is plenty big for 4 birds.

Can't really see the birds well enough to determine that you don't have a male in there,
but it doesn't look like it.

A 3yo human may not understand enough to adjust their behavior around the birds.
Little kids' fast movements and high voices can make the birds feel anxious and thus fight rather than flight.

Any bird can become assertive/aggressive....she/he might need some dominance training from the keeper.

Thank you for your feedback! I've been watching pretty close and I don't suspect any roosters either. They're use to my son and he is always supervised around them so he knows exactly how he should act around them or else he doesn't get to be around them! I have been working on dominance w her but she hasn't done anything uncharacteristic since then which makes me wonder if it could be hormones changing to gear up for eggs? I want to catch it early if she's thinking she wants to go after my son or I.