Help Please!!!!! My lead hen keeps trying to peck my 5 year old grandson in the eye! Why?

[DianaMallory]

This is the second time this happened and both times I witnessed it. The first time I considerate his fault for bending down and trying to scare them away from him by yelling. She got him in the corner of his eye that time, outside the eyeball. This time he was putting and extra water dish in the run for me and after he sat it down and turned around she jumped up and got him under his eye 1/2 inch higher and he could have suffered permanent damage! And we almost had fried chicken tonight. From now on I told him he has to wear sunglasses when he goes around them. Why is she doing this? I noticed that she is getting more aggressive with one of hens in the flock. I know they go through a pecking ordered but How much aggression is to much? Please help! I don't want to ring her neck but I will not tolerate attacking children especially like that!

 

[DianaMallory]

Please does anyone have any clues?

 

[fried green eggs]

My guess is she is trying to dominate your grandson. I have a young rooster that will soon be culled because he has gotten overly protective of his hens and yesterday he jumped up at my 4 year old grand-daughter and flapped her with his wings. She was giving the birds corn at the time and did nothing to provoke the bird. I was right there at the time. I went after him and he was getting aggressive towards me and didn't want to back down and even kicking him wasn't changing him mind. I then grabbed him by the neck and picked him up and held him. Thought seriously about wringing his neck. He wasn't happy while I petted him and carried him around and my grand-daughter petted him too. I held him until he settled and after being released he moved away when I or my grand-daughter walked towards him. He was a bird that was handled often by us and my grand-daughter. I think he will taste wonderful.

 

[leadwolf1]

Chickens love shiny things...eyes are especially attractive. Having her wear sunglasses is a smart idea as is having her stand at all times when in with the chickens. Bending down, squatting could be seen as signs of weakness to your top girl. By standing tall, your grandson will show that he is bigger and no as easily intimidated. Good luck with your girl.

 

[DianaMallory]

Chickens love shiny things...eyes are especially attractive. Having her wear sunglasses is a smart idea as is having her stand at all times when in with the chickens. Bending down, squatting could be seen as signs of weakness to your top girl. By standing tall, your grandson will show that he is bigger and no as easily intimidated. Good luck with your girl.

I have a big cubic zicron ring that I wear on my right hand and if give a chance one of them is always trying to peck at it. It makes since about the shiny. My grandson has big shiny blue eyes, but I think it is what fried green eggs said. She is trying to show she is head honcho! I agree with her that my hen is probably going to taste real good! I didn't snatch her up when it happened but I thought about it! My husband was watching from a distance and he said lucky I wasn't in there we would be having fried chicken tonight! I guess we will go by 3 strikes your out! But I will start making my grandson wear protective glasses when he is in there.

 

[DianaMallory]

OH AND THANK YOU BOTH FOR REPLYING!

 

[fried green eggs]

I thought about the going after shiny things idea because my grand-daughter was waring shorts that had sequins on them but, I don't think that applies in this case since the rooster didn't peck at her shiny shorts. This is this young roosters 2nd offense - first time I thought it was because my grand-daughter was kind of chasing a hen to pick it up. So I gave the rooster a pass - that time.