Chicken Attacks!

[My little angles]

So I have two chickens which one of them is a Buff Orpington and is named Pip. I have had her for a little over a year now and is a pullet for sure. One day I was in the coop and while i was holding her (she was facing my face) she pecked me on the lip really hard. At first I thought it was an accident because she has never done that before and I thought there must’ve been something on my face. When I sat her down she went after my finger and would not let go! I got my finger away after struggling for a solid ten seconds and stood up. She then puffed out her feathers and started to charge me. I pushed her with my boot back but she still kept coming so I picked her up and gave her a couple hard pats on the back saying bad chicken. She is now locked in the coop as punishment for a bit until she cools down. My other chicken, Nugget watched the whole thing and ran away. She didn’t seem interested in fighting or staying for the whole scene. Like I said I only have two chickens and I feel bad for Nugget if I let her sleep by herself so I will let Pip out in a little while. Anyways I thought Buff Orpingtons we’re friendly and especially hens. This is the first time a hen has ever attacked me. Nugget and Pip were both handled a lot as babies and up until this point were supper friendly. I go out with them everyday and spend time with them. They are easy to pick up and hold. Nugget is still friendly but what happened to Pip?! What should I do, is this normal?

 

[Willowspirit]

Could she be broody?

 

[SurferchickinSB]

So I have two chickens which one of them is a Buff Orpington and is named Pip. I have had her for a little over a year now and is a pullet for sure. One day I was in the coop and while i was holding her (she was facing my face) she pecked me on the lip really hard. At first I thought it was an accident because she has never done that before and I thought there must’ve been something on my face. When I sat her down she went after my finger and would not let go! I got my finger away after struggling for a solid ten seconds and stood up. She then puffed out her feathers and started to charge me. I pushed her with my boot back but she still kept coming so I picked her up and gave her a couple hard pats on the back saying bad chicken. She is now locked in the coop as punishment for a bit until she cools down. My other chicken, Nugget watched the whole thing and ran away. She didn’t seem interested in fighting or staying for the whole scene. Like I said I only have two chickens and I feel bad for Nugget if I let her sleep by herself so I will let Pip out in a little while. Anyways I thought Buff Orpingtons we’re friendly and especially hens. This is the first time a hen has ever attacked me. Nugget and Pip were both handled a lot as babies and up until this point were supper friendly. I go out with them everyday and spend time with them. They are easy to pick up and hold. Nugget is still friendly but what happened to Pip?! What should I do, is this normal?

That is really weird! Well, if I was you I would definitely not hold her near my face again, lucky she didn’t peck your eye.

 

[azygous]

Hens can get aggressive sometimes, and who knows why? A few weeks ago one of my most cuddly and affectionate hens jumped up as I was leaning down and nearly took my eye out. I have no idea what possessed her to haul off and do something so out of character.

Just as you need to discipline a rooster when he's displaying unacceptable behavior, hens need discipline, too, when they get out of line. However, a "time-out" won't really let her know she must not peck you.

Chickens actually do a lot of inter-disciplining. When a subordinate chicken gets out of line, a more dominate chicken will give them a quick peck on the back. This is discipline a chicken understands and responds to.

You might think about what your were wearing that was different when you got so painfully pecked. Lots of things can set off chickens. Hair curlers, new shoes, painted toenails, and pimples and scabbed sores. Even unfamiliar clothing can catch chickens off balance and they are capable of reacting badly.

I have had cataract surgery in both eyes and now have lens implants. In a certain light, the implants reflect light and my hen could have seen that and felt the need to investigate. Do you have contact lenses or implants?

 

[SurferchickinSB]

Hens can get aggressive sometimes, and who knows why? A few weeks ago one of my most cuddly and affectionate hens jumped up as I was leaning down and nearly took my eye out. I have no idea what possessed her to haul off and do something so out of character.

Just as you need to discipline a rooster when he's displaying unacceptable behavior, hens need discipline, too, when they get out of line. However, a "time-out" won't really let her know she must not peck you.

Chickens actually do a lot of inter-disciplining. When a subordinate chicken gets out of line, a more dominate chicken will give them a quick peck on the back. This is discipline a chicken understands and responds to.

You might think about what your were wearing that was different when you got so painfully pecked. Lots of things can set off chickens. Hair curlers, new shoes, painted toenails, and pimples and scabbed sores. Even unfamiliar clothing can catch chickens off balance and they are capable of reacting badly.

I have had cataract surgery in both eyes and now have lens implants. In a certain light, the implants reflect light and my hen could have seen that and felt the need to investigate. Do you have contact lenses or implants?

Or were you wearing a new red lip color or nail polish?

 

[My little angles]

Hens can get aggressive sometimes, and who knows why? A few weeks ago one of my most cuddly and affectionate hens jumped up as I was leaning down and nearly took my eye out. I have no idea what possessed her to haul off and do something so out of character.

Just as you need to discipline a rooster when he's displaying unacceptable behavior, hens need discipline, too, when they get out of line. However, a "time-out" won't really let her know she must not peck you.

Chickens actually do a lot of inter-disciplining. When a subordinate chicken gets out of line, a more dominate chicken will give them a quick peck on the back. This is discipline a chicken understands and responds to.

You might think about what your were wearing that was different when you got so painfully pecked. Lots of things can set off chickens. Hair curlers, new shoes, painted toenails, and pimples and scabbed sores. Even unfamiliar clothing can catch chickens off balance and they are capable of reacting badly.

I have had cataract surgery in both eyes and now have lens implants. In a certain light, the implants reflect light and my hen could have seen that and felt the need to investigate. Do you have contact lenses or implants?

Nope nothing

 

[My little angles]

Or were you wearing a new red lip color or nail polish?

Nope. My lips were normal without anything on them. That’s why i thought at first there might’ve been something like a crumb on my lip but there wasn’t. I checked afterwards

 

[My little angles]

That is really weird! Well, if I was you I would definitely not hold her near my face again, lucky she didn’t peck your eye.

Yup not doing that again

 

[My little angles]

Could she be broody?

She was broody for one day but that was a week ago and hasn’t since. Even when she was broody though she didn’t attack me