Help! RIR suddenly very aggressive

[greenkjb]

I have 6 friendly hens. This morning I went out to feed/visit with my girls and my usually friendly RIR attacked my foot. Ok, so she has always done that, but when I pushed her away (like I usually do) she tried to lunge at me like a roo. I have always been able to pick her up and handle her no problem. When I reached for her she pecked the s%&* out of me. She is also going through a serious moult, I mean she went from normal looking chicken to looking TERRIBLE! Has anyone experienced this? I have two kids and one on the way. Any aggressive chickens will have to end up in the soup pot...

 

[Johnn]

Ive never hear of a hen doing that but i guess same will go for a hen too. Make sure she knows whos boss!!

 

[cafarmgirl]

How old? Is this a proven hen that lays? Very roosterish behavior. They can get cranky or othewise behave oddly sometimes when they molt but this seems excessive, I've never had one start attacking me!

 

[Johnn]

Mine started to attack me but i showed him whos boss and he hasnt dont it since.

 

[Fred's Hens]

When they moult, they are often quite out of sorts. They are nervous, don't feel well and likely a little vulnerable to being picked on. I up the protein level by feeding a 24% protein turkey/gamebird type feed to speed up the process as much as I can. She'll likely be her old self once she feathers in.

 

[greenkjb]

She will be 2 early May. She has never been aggressive like this. I will continue the higher protein diet. Hopefully she will chill out. Out of curiosity, what is your most effective way of showing "who is boss?"
Thanks for all of the feedback!!!

 

[Johnn]

She will be 2 early May. She has never been aggressive like this. I will continue the higher protein diet. Hopefully she will chill out. Out of curiosity, what is your most effective way of showing "who is boss?"
Thanks for all of the feedback!!!

Well i got quite a shock whe my cockerel did it, he flapped at me in the legg then i put my foot up and he flapped at taht then he came again and i put my force back into him and nocked him right back and he ran off. Then when i was filling the waters up he ran after me, jamp for me then i through a bucket of water over him and he ran off. After that i have always purposley walked on his path and make him move instead of walking around him. Just make sure you show her whos the boss!

 

[DanEP]

I have a 8 month old rir hen that is very food driven and started to attack if she thought you had food,by pecking and jumping at me feet first. then she started biting. I found that a couple of lite slaps in the head a stern voice telling her to knock it off have pretty much cured her. She still gets excited but a warning gets her to back off. She needs to know that your the top chicken and you won't take any nonsense from her. That being said if she is molting cut her a little slack, she probably doesn't feel good and is grumpy but don't let her attack you no matter what. When my girls are molting I try to leave them alone and feed them higher protein to help with the molt but nobody gets to bite me unless I stepped on them or something.