Favorite Chicken Suddenly Attacking Me!

[Ashley McDaniel]

Hmmm. I've never had a hen react like that. Sorry, I can't be more help! A roo, now that's another story! Your story sounds exactly like what happened with my 2 roos... sweet, hand-raised little fluff balls, that one day just decided to become crazy teenagers. They pecked us, flew at us, drew blood, would try to spur me in the back of my legs (silly boys didn't have their spurs yet, though... thankfully!). Unfortunately we had to send them to freezer camp... I have kids & it wasn't worth the risk. Hopefully you can figure out what's setting her off. I wonder if it's hormones & will pass!?! I know you said she just came into lay, but is she by chance going through a light molt? Maybe she's being aggressive because she's nervous of being held? No clue... just spit-balling here!!

Lol I can totally relate.

 

[Ashley McDaniel]

I recently went through the same thing with Juliet, my dominant hen. Hand Raised, very friendly and docile, then BAM! Out if nowhere she began to attack me when I entered the coop. I never swatted her, not that I didn't want to lol, instead I just picked her up each time she tried to get me, held her very tight and close, and walked around the yard for 5 minutes, then placed her back in the coop and continued to my duties. After a week or so of doing this, Juliet realized that yes, she was the head hen, but that mama was still in charge, and still the highest ranking chick of this flock! Lol you're doing everything right, and from my experience, with time, it will get better. Best of luck to you girl!

 

[Ashley McDaniel]

You could very well be right about her place in the pecking order, and I could have the whole thing upside down. Sometimes I think that the entire pecking order struggle is just a hair beyond our total understanding. We see it, we recognize it, but the nuances of it stay just out of reach. If she is low, she may be trying to butt you out of the way so she can move up. Good point!! Whatever the reason is, the two important things are that you not take it personally, and that you do, indeed, share what you've learned with others!

I think I got it wrong too lol I thought it was the dominant hen. Sorry. And Blooie, thanks for sharing all of your knowledge and advice. It helps me out tremendously!

 

[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.

 

[dinkbradders]

Wonder if you are still viewing this thread! What happened, did she calm down, stop or get worse? I am in the exact same situ with my fave chicken that is, still, bottom of the pecking order. She was sweet and developed slower (still no comb at 1) and was our last to lay. She even had an episode of weeks of staggering due to getting stuck between two fences.

Anyway yep she started attacking the kids (after laying), my daughter first 13, my son 9 and then me but never my husband. I tried to do the holding her down thing, pecking her head or picking her up but it just enraged her more. She then went broody for a long time (which actually stopped the attacks as she wouldn't leave the coop but sadly also the eggs) so we took her out daily, more than once and the only thing we could think of doing was swapping the eggs for 2 new chicks

BIG MISTAKE!!! Now she has a purpose to attack with a vengeance. It didn't happen for the first week as she happily, it seemed, let me feed them, or her, and change the water/food but that was Mothers Day and now she attacks 3 or 4 times whilst I am in the coop. I have tried dominating her but it freaks out my other 3 girls so don't like to do it (though a couple of them have intervened and pecked her for pecking me!!!) and freaks out the chicks. I guess she now thinks she is protecting the chicks from me and doesn't reason that I am the one supplying said chicks and food/clean water/worms/sweetcorn lol.

I did take it to heart at first but understand the Mummy instinct but still wonder if there is something that will work. She doesn't appear to tackle my husband but he doesn't have to reach into the nursery to change anything or when he does, to make a point, NOTHING!

I hear she will soon tire of the chicks and kick them out but I worry they are becoming scared of humans (we don't pick them up as don't want her wrath) but I am hoping them won't learn the nasty behavior.

Anyway hopefully we can hear if you had any progress.

 

[Folly's place]

My bantam broody hens don't want any human interactions, and teach their chicks human avoidance. The mamas also do a great job of raising savvy flock members. It's a trade-off that I'm happy to live with. The chicks will later get comfortable with humans, and I'm not interested in lap chickens, so no problems.
However, I've never had and wouldn't tolerate an 'attack hen', and would try beekissed's rooster retraining plan if one turns up here.
Mary

 

[Leihamarie]

QUOTE="dinkbradders, post: 20014487, member: 495310"]Wonder if you are still viewing this thread! What happened, did she calm down, stop or get worse? I am in the exact same situ with my fave chicken that is, still, bottom of the pecking order. She was sweet and developed slower (still no comb at 1) and was our last to lay. She even had an episode of weeks of staggering due to getting stuck between two fences.

Anyway yep she started attacking the kids (after laying), my daughter first 13, my son 9 and then me but never my husband. I tried to do the holding her down thing, pecking her head or picking her up but it just enraged her more. She then went broody for a long time (which actually stopped the attacks as she wouldn't leave the coop but sadly also the eggs) so we took her out daily, more than once and the only thing we could think of doing was swapping the eggs for 2 new chicks

BIG MISTAKE!!! Now she has a purpose to attack with a vengeance. It didn't happen for the first week as she happily, it seemed, let me feed them, or her, and change the water/food but that was Mothers Day and now she attacks 3 or 4 times whilst I am in the coop. I have tried dominating her but it freaks out my other 3 girls so don't like to do it (though a couple of them have intervened and pecked her for pecking me!!!) and freaks out the chicks. I guess she now thinks she is protecting the chicks from me and doesn't reason that I am the one supplying said chicks and food/clean water/worms/sweetcorn lol.

I did take it to heart at first but understand the Mummy instinct but still wonder if there is something that will work. She doesn't appear to tackle my husband but he doesn't have to reach into the nursery to change anything or when he does, to make a point, NOTHING!

I hear she will soon tire of the chicks and kick them out but I worry they are becoming scared of humans (we don't pick them up as don't want her wrath) but I am hoping them won't learn the nasty behavior.

Anyway hopefully we can hear if you had any progress.[/QUOTE]

Hi there! sorry for the delay in responding! I am still here and we did work it out, but it took some time and understanding. Lulu (the feisty Blue Andalusian) is still my favorite hen and a total mama's girl. I learned that pecking me was her way of asking for attention. It took a while, as I'm a bit slow sometimes, lol! I noticed that she actually starts the pecking fairly gently. It's when I ignore her or retaliate by "pecking" her back/ swatting her that she gets enraged and extra angry- then attacks with a vengeance. When she pecks me gently, I pick her up and put her in my lap and she settles right down and is a happy little hen!
I think about that early behavior a lot and am SOOOOO grateful that I took the time to really figure out what was going on with her, rather than culling or staying locked in a really frustrating power struggle. She IS a precocious little brat, lol! but she has a loyal sweetness and really just needs me to pay attention to her... FREQUENTLY, lol!

In your situation, I'm not sure what to advise, especially since picking her up doesn't help and only makes matters worse. In my experience with broodies and their babies, yes... she'll kick them out around 10 weeks and rejoin the flock. From what you've described, she sees you as a threat. Maybe bring her and the babies some mealworms/treats, etc... and make them come to you for them? If she starts getting cranky- abruptly and calmly leave. A few instances of that will perhaps help her understand that cranky attacks mean no goodies! If it works well for you, have your kids do it through a fence so they are safe and won't be attacked.

I'm sorry this is happening to you and your favorite hen! Please keep us posted on how it goes!

Here's my little cuddle chicken recently. View attachment 1411368

View attachment 1411371