Dog aggression, but not what you think...

[PurtyGertie]

My favorite hen has recently taken an extreme disliking to my meek and docile little dog. The dog is never outside with the hens loose without supervision, and he has never show ANY form of aggression towards any of them. My hens are just now approaching laying age, so could it be hormones or is this the new normal? I'm literally having to fend off her attacks for him when he is outside. She also seems to get the roster riled up in the process. The hens are about equally to him in size so I'm actually worried that she might get his face/eyes one day.

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Oh, your poor little dog. My pullets got less afraid of me and a few got very grumpy and aggressive (with each other) as they got close to laying. The dogs were not allowed to mix with the flock back then, but it wouldn't have surprised me if the girls had included them in the pecking order. The hens are older now and frequently roam free with the dogs without any problems. Last year an Ameraucana went broody and decided the dogs were public enemy number one (and two!). She would attack the dogs if they got too close, jumping and flapping and pecking. Her sister also went broody and started attacking. Stupid chickens.

One of my dogs is over 80 lbs! Luckily the dogs minded me and did not fight back, the broody episodes ended, and peace returned.

If you want to try to stop the behavior, you could try isolating the naughty one. I had set up a "solitary confinement" in my garage for a Leghorn hen that was seriously aggressive toward, and mounting, some of the other hens. Removing her from the pecking order allowed the others to readjust themselves, and when I reintroduced her about 10 days later, things were much better for a while. The Leghorn quit laying at the end of her second season, and became much more docile. All, I think, is a testament to the power of hormones!