First Egg = Super Aggressive Hen??

[2boys1homestead]

Hello All,

We just got our first egg yesterday from one of the Rhode Island Reds. This chicken in particular has been extremely friendly and loved to be pet, but now that she's had her first egg she has become hyper aggressive. She's even attempting to chase us (we don't react) and she has bitten a couple of times and drawn blood in the past two days.

Like I said, she used to jump up on a leg when we kneeled down and wanted to be pet, this is really strange for her. She's even acting like she wants to jump up and attack us.

This is our first flock, so this behavior change was definitely unexpected.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

That happens a lot as hens become hormonal and begin laying eggs. Some become more pushy agitated and aggressive, most will mellow out after a month or so. I would just not let her get pushy with you and I would stop petting her for a bit too.

 

[2boys1homestead]

I was wondering if it could be something like that. I knew she wasn't broody because she left her egg laying in the mud (plus I've never heard of a hen going broody instantly). Thank you!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I compare a hen who's just starting to lay to teenage girls, both are emotional and prone to exaggerated behaviors, and both grow up and calm down.

Hopefully she learns where to lay too, mud eggs aren't tasty. If you don't already have them, fake eggs in the nestboxes will help direct them to the nestboxes, eventually.

 

[2boys1homestead]

Yeah, we have the nest boxes and fake eggs set up. So far all they want to do is poop in them, but hopefully that will stop too.