Chicken Chasing dog?

[Crysta]

Hi,

Notice jenifry said that this was a 5 month old cock. Cockerals that young don't typically develope all their 'rooster looks' at that age.

HS Pye

Notice how I said it was a hen. The age is important to see if the hen is expected to lay soon. Therefore, we can ask if the hen is squatting which is a behavior most hens have at the age she appears.


What I do for my chickens to allow me to hold them is give them treats, occasionally. They run up to me every time I am outside expecting more

. I try to pick each one up and then hand feed them a treat. I've noticed that some hens personalities are just stubborn and I will never have an easy time holding them. But at least they run up to me when I'm around.

 

[jenifry]

No, Jenifry said that her bird was a hen, I posted a pic. of a cockerel to show the difference between her bird and a young rooster......


In terms of her aggression and dominant behavior... If you handle her more, like when she goes in to roost for the night, get a hand on her and hold her. Be careful the first few times, because she will probably peck. Let her know, that even though she is ruling the roost, you are the dominant one. Don't let her chase anyone, and stop her when she chases the dogs. It is hard to break a dominant bird, but it can be done gently. When you are around, she needs to know that you are the "rooster" of the group. If she is really taking on the rooster role, she may not lay, and she may even mount other hens, and god forbid, some hens can even crow. She may take the role completely if you don't intervene and let her know you're boss.

 

[HS Pye]

I don't know how to link to another thread, but I really think your hen is just a dominant hen. They will take the role of the flock protector if there is no rooster. IMHO: I don't see saddle feathers. Her comb and wattles are more hen than rooster. ~~ guillr2 posted this pic of a 5 month old BR Roo... See those pretty feathers by his tail? That's a roo... and see his HUGE comb and wattles compared to yours chicks? My limited knowledge says Yay! Hen for you! She's just at the top of the pecking order.

I was referring to what crysta said after what jenifry posted, assuming she was referring to the picture of the cockeral. As for the photo couture family first posted, I said I believed it was a hen. Not the other way around. HS Pye

 

[jenifry]

All in the name of good info... I certainly don't mean to argue. So.... Let's tame this hen... Have you tried earthworms? My hens LOVE them. My kids sit on the ground and pull them into hen size bites and the girls go crazy... Crawling all over them for the next bite.

 

[azygous]

Individual personalities absolutely can and do change. Sometimes a stand-offish or skittish pullets will get calmer and more agreeable to being handled after they start laying. And I've even had a couple of hens make radical changes to the opposite behavior of what they had always been after three and four years of age.

Right now your hen is dominant and even a tad aggressive, but it doesn't mean she will always be this way.

 

[HS Pye]

Individual personalities absolutely can and do change. Sometimes a stand-offish or skittish pullets will get calmer and more agreeable to being handled after they start laying. And I've even had a couple of hens make radical changes to the opposite behavior of what they had always been after three and four years of age.

Right now your hen is dominant and even a tad aggressive, but it doesn't mean she will always be this way.

X2

HS Pye

 

[Couture Family]

Well I did as you all suggested. I stopped her from chasing the puppy. I've nabbed her and held her for a minute or two and I've even (gently) held her down in submission so she would know I'm the mama or the rooster I guess. She seems to be acting like the other girls? But no signs of laying yet.

 

[jenifry]

Well I did as you all suggested. I stopped her from chasing the puppy. I've nabbed her and held her for a minute or two and I've even (gently) held her down in submission so she would know I'm the mama or the rooster I guess. She seems to be acting like the other girls? But no signs of laying yet.

Good to hear you are having some success. The egg laying will come when she's ready! Some of the things I have read say 25 or more weeks before some Barred Rocks lay.