Chicken wont stop charging at me and trying to bite my feet.

[Goblingchickenfather]

It's been going on awhile. I'll be walking by our chicken and she'll either be fine or she'll make a charge at me and nip my foot. She has broken skin several times. She doesn't do this to my partner at all. Though she has had attitude problems before but is generally good and we can both pick her up to hold her to be be pet or hugged etc. She just has these aggressive moments that I don't understand.

i've tried some of the dominance stuff but she still goes for it. Or she'll stand up tall to fight when i push her back with my arm or leg. She's only laid eggs a small handful of times a few months ago and hasn't since. She's only about 9 months old.

 

[tlcmurphy]

The first year we had chickens, my daughter went into the run in sandals with freshly painted toenails. She won’t make THAT mistake again

 

[aart]

Though she has had attitude problems before but is generally good and we can both pick her up to hold her to be be pet or hugged etc. She just has these aggressive moments that I don't understand.

Familiarity can breed Contempt.

I never cuddle my chickens and they never come after me.
When I hand fed more often I had a few get aggressive.

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.

 

[sybonbon]

It's been going on awhile. I'll be walking by our chicken and she'll either be fine or she'll make a charge at me and nip my foot. She has broken skin several times. She doesn't do this to my partner at all. Though she has had attitude problems before but is generally good and we can both pick her up to hold her to be be pet or hugged etc. She just has these aggressive moments that I don't understand.

i've tried some of the dominance stuff but she still goes for it. Or she'll stand up tall to fight when i push her back with my arm or leg. She's only laid eggs a small handful of times a few months ago and hasn't since. She's only about 9 months old. View attachment 3561924

I never visit my chickens with open toed shoes. They just naturally peck. Even at my shoes. Have you tried pointing your finger at them? Mine all come running to bite it. It doesn't mean they are being mean or dislike me. Chickens are just very curious.

 

[Goblingchickenfather]

What you feel is aggression I just think it's normal chicken behavior. There's always one in the flock. I've had 20 chickens and each one raised from 2 days old. They all have their own personalities. There has to be an Alpha. I took on that role. Never show fear and never run.

ah well then i'll have to make her remember who feeds her haha.

 

[SwampPrincessChick]

Yeah she gets a small running start usually. She's broken skin twice now.

Whenever my hens bite me too hard, I will reach down and tap them roughly in the back to tell them no. It usually works, and I recommend it.

 

[LaFleche]

She might be suffering from a disorder of her reproductive tract.
This could be an infection like egg yolk peritonitis or ovarian tumours that often lead to hormonal imbalances triggering aggressive behaviour.

 

[SwampPrincessChick]

One of my Easter Egger hens, Yarrow, grabs my leg and bites it when she wants food, and the other chickens seeing her do that and receive food also taught them to do that. I think your chicken is being naturally curious in a similar way as Yarrow, unless she is full-on charging at you like a flogging rooster would do.

 

[Ponypoor]

It's been going on awhile. I'll be walking by our chicken and she'll either be fine or she'll make a charge at me and nip my foot. She has broken skin several times. She doesn't do this to my partner at all. Though she has had attitude problems before but is generally good and we can both pick her up to hold her to be be pet or hugged etc. She just has these aggressive moments that I don't understand.

i've tried some of the dominance stuff but she still goes for it. Or she'll stand up tall to fight when i push her back with my arm or leg. She's only laid eggs a small handful of times a few months ago and hasn't since. She's only about 9 months old. View attachment 3561924

I have ‘inherited’ my nieces older (4 yrs) hens and the one black sexlink is a real piece of work. Today she went after me as I went to move her into her night space. I grabbed her and pretty much made her realize I was bigger than she was. It was a calm deliberate grab and hold till she stopped struggling and fighting. Once she stopped I calmly finished herding her into the pen.

My chickens are handled from day one and have never been aggressive with me (not counting randy young Roos), I can remove eggs, handle chicks, check the conditions of the birds. All without losing fingers it just takes repetition and calm behaviour. Hopefully Raven isn’t too old to learn to behave

 

[Goblingchickenfather]

She might be suffering from a disorder of her reproductive tract.
This could be an infection like egg yolk peritonitis or ovarian tumours that often lead to hormonal imbalances triggering aggressive behaviour.

Is there anyway we could check for this? Or I'm guessing this is something a vet would have to check for.

I never visit my chickens with open toed shoes. They just naturally peck. Even at my shoes. Have you tried pointing your finger at them? Mine all come running to bite it. It doesn't mean they are being mean or dislike me. Chickens are just very curious.

These are outwardly aggressive charges and deliberately aimed bites at my feet. Not really the toes. She doesn't do it to my partner only me.