Help, my chicken attacked my daughter!

[Bubs]

I'm new here and was hoping for some help. I have two Auracanas hens that are a year old. They free range in our backyard and are considered pets. One has increasingly gotten more aggressive and bit my 4 year old on the cheek yesterday. She has pecked at all of us, but this time it was a little close. I hate to get rid of Rosie or keep her penned up all the time, but the safety of my kids and the neighbor kids is a concern. I'm not sure what to do. Thanks for any help!

 

[Beekissed]

Make soup.

 

[paisleycj]

I agree, make soup. My daughter is now 28 and still has scars from a rooster attack. If an animal is mean, you can't afford to keep it around.

 

[Wolf-Kim]

Do you hand feed or give treats to your birds? I've noticed that the birds I handfeed tend to be a little more pushy.

You may need to rehome the most aggressive hen or make soup. You really do not want to risk aggressive birds with small children. If you replace her I suggest buying a hen that is a bit more timid, you would rather a bird be timid or shy than aggressive, especially with children.

When she "attacked", what exactly did she do? Will you describe it clearly both what the hen did and what your daughter was doing(and if your daughter was holding anything). The more details, the better we can help.

-Kim

 

[Josie]

That happened to our four year old daughter. I told her to pick up any chicken that did that to her, to "show them who is boss". My daughter tends to be very cautious, so this was good for her and the birds stopped pecking her. (This happened a few months ago.)

In our case the birds were aggressively pecking at her legs and hands, but hadn't flown up on her, I don't know if I would risk it if it was a full on attack.

 

[DTchickens]

if you dont want to eat 'er or get rid of her. Try these simple factors. Hold every day. at least 20 minutes NO MATTER WHAT SHE DOES. Also. Make sure she isn't poor. If its just pecking i would think shes looking for food? Try seeing if she will peck you after you feed her. and if the Feed doesn't work. Or the handling. theres always the being rough and mean and Showing her whose boss factor. which i've heard in alot of different ways. Theres Holding them upside down until they calm down. if they act up when you put them down Do it again until they stop. Hold their head under water everytime they bite you for 1-2 secs. And then i've also heard of a Simple. Kick (Seen that done..) if none helps. Get rid of her. eat her. or dont let your daughter near her.

 

[rebbetzin]

This thread brought back memories of when I was three years old. We were visiting the family farm in Ohio. One morning a rooster flew up at my face. He scared me to death! That night we had the rooster for dinner.!

 

[Bubs]

Thanks everyone for the advice. What happend the other day was not unusual, my daughter loves the chickens and they usually will allow her to pick them up. I asked her to get Rosie so that we could put them in their pen for the evening and she reached down to get her and Rosie bit her. Rosie has pecked at my feet but she has also bit me which is completely different and hurts like heck. We live in town and just have these two chickens, so honestly I wouldn't know how to begin to turn her into soup

but am leaning towards replacing her. We've tried to show her whose boss, but she comes back at you meaner and in full on attack mode.
If we replace her it will have to be with a pullet from the local store, any suggestions on how to introduce her to our other chicken?

 

[HobbyChickener]

I agree with the other, I would make her half of a chicken and dumpling recipe. I have only had one of mine come "after" me. He was in the pot the next day. I am top rooster here and they have to understand that.

As far as the introduction to the new bird, put them together but with a fence between the two. Give the a couple weeks of being inches apart but not being able to touch. Then little by little let them be with one another. Remember though if you are bringing in a "foreign" bird that you should isolate it for a 30 period to make sure that you are not spreading desease in your coop. Good Luck!

Hobby

 

[mommy9994]

I love my chickens, but a critter only gets one chance to hurt one of my babies. Tuesday we had mean rooster for dinner, so I know how it is he had attacked my daughter when she went to gather eggs after church on Sunday.