Help!!! My Leghorn is attacking me everytime I go out in the backyard.

[KiraAnn1985]

I have had my leghorn for about 2 years now and have raised her(and my other 2 chickens) since she was 4 days old. Now all of a sudden starting yesterday she is attacking me. She runs after me and anytime I bend down to pick something up she jumps up and pecks me. Yesterday she got me in the eye. Luckily I closed it in time. When I go to the coop to get eggs she jumps up on something high waiting for me to come out so she can get me. What in the world is going on with her??? She has never down this before and in fact I have nursed her a few times when she was attacked.

I don't know what to do anymore. Please Help me!

 

[Veer67]

Oh my! My 2 leghorns are doing EXACTLY the same thing! My White Leghorns recently started biting, jumping, and attacking me , my hand, and shoes every single time I enter their enclosure. I have started to "discipline" her by pressing her down to the ground and holding her comb until she cools down. It's not exactly working, but maybe it is supposed to take a while? I would be interested in what other people say.

 

[keesmom]

We got rid of 2 Leghorn pullets for this reason last year. Every time my daughter went to collect eggs they would follow her and peck her. In watching them it seemed more out of curiosity and boredom than aggressiveness. I thought it may have resulted from having to keep them confined (hawk pressure) so we rehomed them where they could range. Since then they have been fine (they are at a friend's house).

 

[KiraAnn1985]

My Leghorn is a free range and not cooped up. So it doesnt make sense.

 

[Veer67]

My Leghorn is a free range and not cooped up. So it doesnt make sense.

Mine is enclosed most of the day, but they are let out regularly. Also they don't act like they are curious, curious would be tugging at my clothes or a little peck on my hand, they seem to now what they are doing. Most of the time, their bites also draw blood. I will post a picture later of her when she is angry.

 

[azygous]

Just a wild thought. Could these Leghorns be broody and protecting hidden nests?

Kira, have you searched the area really well for a hidden nest? Since she's a free ranger, perhaps she's gone slightly feral, and is defending her "territory". There may be a nest of eggs she's building up and getting ready to sit on.

 

[Veer67]

Just a wild thought. Could these Leghorns be broody and protecting hidden nests? 

Kira, have you searched the area really well for a hidden nest? Since she's a free ranger, perhaps she's gone slightly feral, and is defending her "territory". There may be a nest of eggs she's building up and getting ready to sit on.

In my case, they are not broody.

 

[KiraAnn1985]

I don't have a rooster and so they are not fertile plus in the 2 years I have had her she has never sat on eggs before.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

I don't have a rooster and so they are not fertile plus in the 2 years I have had her she has never sat on eggs before.

Fertile or not, a hen will set - so the absence of a rooster doesn't rule out broodiness. It might be worth investing a few hours watching her to see if you do catch her sneaking off on you.

 

[KiraAnn1985]

but in two years she has never been Brody so what would make her do that now