One of my Speckled Sussex hens, Ruby, is quite the character. She's 4 years old now and is generally a calm, curious, and gentle hen. I was outside snuggling her today and it made me remember last year when she attacked my gander who was attempting to attack me (this was in the spring, when he's hormonal). The thing that gets me about this is that she is one of the lowest ranking hens in the pecking order. Out of my 8 hens, she's number 8 I believe. I never see her messing with any other chickens, and never ever with the geese. Yet when I was in the process of pinning the gander down to the ground to make him stop his little fit, she just barrels into him and starts attacking. I think what really got her attention was him flapping his wings when he was trying to hit me with them. That's when I noticed her charging in. Anyway, I gently nudged her away while holding the gander down. She sort of stood by and then walked away about a minute later once things calmed down. I found it quite funny that I had an attack chicken in the flock 
She also did this one other time that I can recall last spring. None of my other hens really seem to care if the gander is having a fit with me, but she is sure interested. I kind of wonder what went through her mind to make her want to attack him like that. I'm sure me having him pinned down to the ground probably helped her feel more confident. Perhaps she seen she had an opportunity to assert herself when she knew he couldn't fight back? But still, that is very unlike her and I'm curious as to what you guys think of her behavior!
She also did this one other time that I can recall last spring. None of my other hens really seem to care if the gander is having a fit with me, but she is sure interested. I kind of wonder what went through her mind to make her want to attack him like that. I'm sure me having him pinned down to the ground probably helped her feel more confident. Perhaps she seen she had an opportunity to assert herself when she knew he couldn't fight back? But still, that is very unlike her and I'm curious as to what you guys think of her behavior!
