Feisty Red

[Bekah]

I have a few (6) backyard chickens. Two of my Rhode Island Reds, who are 7 months old, have become very feisty. When I head outside to let them out of the coop for the day and other times when I'm in the backyard, they will walk up behind me and nip at my calves. They have done this to my 7 year old son once too (sadly on bare legs). This morning one of them nipped my hand. They are not breaking skin, but summer is coming, and I don't want to have to be running from the red twins every time we are in the backyard
There are other times though that if I am out with the chickens and go to pet them, they will crouch down and let me pet them without any problem. Any suggestions on how to stop the bad behavior? If not, they may need to find a new home.
Thank you for any advice!

 

[TheRookie]

What Ive been recommended to do (I have RIRs too) is to pay individual attention to each one of your chickens (particularly those two) each day. Pick them up, pet them, treats, etc... My neighbor, who does this every day, his chickens (also RIR) are absolutely perfectly well behaved. Even around his young kids.

 

[Fierlin1182]

Give them lots of attention, try not to make quick movements or do anything that might alarm the chickens. You might have, like me, chickens which just have a personality that makes them want to peck things. I've been nipped many times and am now wary about going into the coop without close-toed shoes on. What I find is that if you always face the chickens, they seem to stay a bit calmer, and I often find myself walking backwards when feeding them.