Chicken aggression

[Lilac_Ginger_Butterscotch]

I have a 1 year old ISA brown chicken and recently she has started pecking me but she only pecks me when I touch other chickens. Today when I went to pick up one chicken she ran over to bite my hand. So is there anyway I can get her to stop doing this?

 

[3KillerBs]

I have a 1 year old ISA brown chicken and recently she has started pecking me but she only pecks me when I touch other chickens. Today when I went to pick up one chicken she ran over to bite my hand. So is there anyway I can get her to stop doing this?

She's trying to assert dominance over you. Peck her back -- using your thumb and fingers to make a beak until she stops and goes away.

Don't hit her HARD, just hard enough to speak chicken to her and get the message across.

 

[Lilac_Ginger_Butterscotch]

She's trying to assert dominance over you. Peck her back -- using your thumb and fingers to make a beak until she stops and goes away.

Don't hit her HARD, just hard enough to speak chicken to her and get the message across.

I have been "Pecking" her back for about 2 weeks is she just hard headed or do I need to take further action?

 

[3KillerBs]

I have been "Pecking" her back for about 2 weeks is she just hard headed or do I need to take further action?

Have you pinned her down on the ground and held her until she submitted by holding still?

 

[Lilac_Ginger_Butterscotch]

Have you pinned her down on the ground and held her until she submitted by holding still?

No I have only “pecked” her back nothing else

 

[3KillerBs]

No I have only “pecked” her back nothing else

You can try that technique too. Or pick her up, tuck her under your arm, and carry her around a bit while you do your chores.

The key thing when dealing with animals in general is to never come across as fearful.

Not aggressive or harsh, but confident and matter of fact.

 

[aart]

Have had this happen several times, mostly with hand fed chicks often as they come of age and get spunky. It's pretty easily curbed with calm and deliberate determination.

I peck them back, on the head or anywhere I can reach, with the tips of thumb and first 2 fingers, as hard and fast as many times as I can before they get away. Well, not hard enough to hurt them, just startle them and let them you mean business. That's what another chicken would do, so they understand that kind of communication.

If that doesn't work after a couple applications, I hold them down to the ground with my hand on their back until they submit....again firmly enough to get the job done but not hurt them....add a few finger pecks and/or tug on the feathers on the back of their neck.

 

[Lilac_Ginger_Butterscotch]

Have had this happen several times, mostly with hand fed chicks often as they come of age and get spunky. It's pretty easily curbed with calm and deliberate determination.

I peck them back, on the head or anywhere I can reach, with the tips of thumb and first 2 fingers, as hard and fast as many times as I can before they get away. Well, not hard enough to hurt them, just startle them and let them you mean business. That's what another chicken would do, so they understand that kind of communication.

If that doesn't work after a couple applications, I hold them down to the ground with my hand on their back until they submit....again firmly enough to get the job done but not hurt them....add a few finger pecks and/or tug on the feathers on the back of their neck.

You can try that technique too. Or pick her up, tuck her under your arm, and carry her around a bit while you do your chores.

The key thing when dealing with animals in general is to never come across as fearful.

Not aggressive or harsh, but confident and matter of fact.

Ok thank you both I will try those things if she does it tomorrow

 

[bjdewell]

Ok thank you both I will try those things if she does it tomorrow

Me, too. Thanks for asking this question, I'm looking forward to her coming up to peck me tomorrow and trying the things I've learned on this thread until one of them works on her. All four of my hens are so sweet, but I guess the biter is trying to dominate me from what I've read. Don't you just love all the information we can get here? My go-to chicken site, for sure!