Feather plucking out of jealousy?

[HennyPenny44]

I have an Easter Egger who is very friendly with me and has no fear of people. Alternately, I have a Speckled Sussex who is almost impossible to catch and will often shriek if I touch her. Well, I'm trying to acclimate her to being held by me so I catch her and pet her every now and then. She doesn't try to get out of my arms once caught but seems a bit scared and submissive.

Well, today I caught the Sussex and when I let her go, the Easter Egger pecked her a couple of times and then pulled out a bunch of feathers. She seemed really annoyed. I've witnessed the same pecking before but not the feather pulling. I thought the Easter Egger was at the bottom of the pecking order because she rarely pecks the others.

Is it possible that she's jealous and what do I do? I don't want my Sussex to be scared of coming near me for fear of the repercussions. I tend to hold the Easter Egger and my Barred Rock because they're the ones always following me around and begging for attention. And if I hold a different chicken, they peck at me for attention. How do I let them know that it's not all about them?

 

[azygous]

It's not really jealousy as we humans understand it. It has more to do with the chicken being held as being seen as vulnerable by the others since it is not free to defend itself.

In other words, to chickens another chicken that is being restrained, whether or not that chicken is enjoying a warm snuggle and a few kisses, is fair game to be pecked by any chicken that may wish to do so, even after it's released.

This is sometimes a problem in my flock so when I pick up a favorite to cuddle, I bring them up to a level where the others can't deliver sneak attacks. Then I release the chicken away from the others that are demonstrating "jealous" behavior.

 

[HennyPenny44]

It's not really jealousy as we humans understand it. It has more to do with the chicken being held as being seen as vulnerable by the others since it is not free to defend itself.

In other words, to chickens another chicken that is being restrained, whether or not that chicken is enjoying a warm snuggle and a few kisses, is fair game to be pecked by any chicken that may wish to do so, even after it's released.

This is sometimes a problem in my flock so when I pick up a favorite to cuddle, I bring them up to a level where the others can't deliver sneak attacks. Then I release the chicken away from the others that are demonstrating "jealous" behavior.

I never thought of that. Thanks for shedding some light on this. I will try what you suggest and hopefully tame my scaredy chicken.

 

[feathermaid]

In other words, to chickens another chicken that is being restrained, whether or not that chicken is enjoying a warm snuggle and a few kisses, is fair game to be pecked by any chicken that may wish to do so, even after it's released.

Yes, I've had this exact thing happen. I noticed it more when a couple times I wanted to examine one of my bird's feet or vent, and another bird took advantage and pecked and jumped on her while she was restrained. I figured it was because the other bird was low ranking and it was her only chance to say "oh yeah, take that!" So now I'm careful to do examinations far away from the other birds so no one gets any bad ideas.
I do like your suggestion to also release a "cuddled chicken" away from the others as well. Thanks!

 

[Peppercorngal]

I don't "hold" my chickens unless they come to me and jump in my lap. I have a few that do that very thing. I have a bench where I sit in the free range area and one or two will come and jump in my lap. Only then I will touch them, and they will lay down and shut their eyes while I "pet" them. I have a bunch of others that roost on the back of the bench while I do this. The others roosting will let me "pet" their breasts, but they do not want to be held. I love my chickens and they trust me, but I let them decided whether they want to be held or not. I tend to let chickens be chickens. I don't "break" broody hens no matter what time of year it is. I don't put collars on the roosters to keep them from crowing. I let them be who they are.

 

[Acre4Me]

I find that chickens not yet at point of lay (POL) are much less friendly. Is she a pullet not yet laying eggs? Also, chickens are prey, so skittish -some more than others. Chickens have a pecking order that they like to remind others of at various time - who knows why she pecked! But, jealousy is a human emotion, and not likely the reason here.

 

[HennyPenny44]

I find that chickens not yet at point of lay (POL) are much less friendly. Is she a pullet not yet laying eggs? Also, chickens are prey, so skittish -some more than others. Chickens have a pecking order that they like to remind others of at various time - who knows why she pecked! But, jealousy is a human emotion, and not likely the reason here.

Yes, the Speckled Sussex isn’t laying yet though she’s slowly becoming friendlier. The Easter Egger has always been super friendly and is my first and only chicken laying now. It’s my first flock.

 

[HennyPenny44]

I don't "hold" my chickens unless they come to me and jump in my lap. I have a few that do that very thing. I have a bench where I sit in the free range area and one or two will come and jump in my lap. Only then I will touch them, and they will lay down and shut their eyes while I "pet" them. I have a bunch of others that roost on the back of the bench while I do this. The others roosting will let me "pet" their breasts, but they do not want to be held. I love my chickens and they trust me, but I let them decided whether they want to be held or not. I tend to let chickens be chickens. I don't "break" broody hens no matter what time of year it is. I don't put collars on the roosters to keep them from crowing. I let them be who they are.

I do have a chicken who jumps on me (barred rock) and she’s also scratched up my shoulder and jumped on my back a couple of times which I didn’t enjoy. I have to put her in her place frequently. My Easter Egger has jumped on my lap and jumps on the roost to be near me like you describe but she also loves a good petting as she closes her eyes. My concern is if the skittish ones get sick or picked on, I need to be able to handle them.

 

[BarredRockMom]

I tuck my girls in most nights and have been known to kneel down to talk to & pet them. It's helped some of the skittish in daylight chickens be less so, but I don't force anyone to get a cuddle. Day or night,I they will all eat out of our hands but at night one hen prefers to sleep in the safety of her egg-laying box. Her, I just speak to softly & give her a pass on pets & cuddles. And for those about to tell me about the evils of "letting a chicken sleep in the egg box", skip it. Their house, their rules. If that makes her feel safe, I say "rock on with your bad chicken self!". My rules are 1) don't hurt one another & 2) don't destroy your house. I can work with pretty much everything else. Our girls don't eat their eggs, so I haven't found that sleeping in the egg box makes anyone more (or less) likely to eat eggs. Ours simply don't.

 

[Peppercorngal]

I do have a chicken who jumps on me (barred rock) and she’s also scratched up my shoulder and jumped on my back a couple of times which I didn’t enjoy. I have to put her in her place frequently. My Easter Egger has jumped on my lap and jumps on the roost to be near me like you describe but she also loves a good petting as she closes her eyes. My concern is if the skittish ones get sick or picked on, I need to be able to handle them.

Yes, there may be times you want to handle your chickens, but trying to handle them when they don't want it now won't be helpful. Usually when you need to handle a chicken it's because he or she is sick or injured and they are less likely to run off at that point. And the pecking order in the flock is a consideration as well. The chickens that get in my lap are young and not laying yet. I just realized that one is a rooster, and he loves to be petting more than anyone in the flock. You just never know! They all have their own personalities!