Hen Attacking Me Daily

[Annabellaa]

Yes she is the all black one with the brown around her neck. Please for the love of god tell me she’s not a rooster. I specifically only bought chicks that were available as female only to be sure I didn’t get a rooster by accident. But I guess it’s still possible? With my luck she’s a damn rooster. I can try to get better pics of her tomorrow and will post because it would be good to know if he/she is

I was able to zoom in on a video I have from more recently she looks the same now the photo isnt great quality

 

[BlueBaby]

Yes she is the all black one with the brown around her neck. Please for the love of god tell me she’s not a rooster. I specifically only bought chicks that were available as female only to be sure I didn’t get a rooster by accident. But I guess it’s still possible? With my luck she’s a damn rooster. I can try to get better pics of her tomorrow and will post because it would be good to know if he/she is

It does happen by hatcheries sometimes. They have even been known to throw in a boy or 2 as extra's (packing peanut's). I have had enough rooster's to know what the tail's look like. I would take better pictures of that one alone so that it can better be looked at to see if anyone else agrees with me on it being a boy. Get the tail and saddle feather area.

 

[SourRoses]

Thank you for your feedback by the way. I would not have thought that the perching would contribute to the behaviour. I’m a situation where I am working or cleaning around the coop and she attacks or exhibits aggressive behaviour and I correct the behaviour can I still continue what I am doing or do I wait for her to back down 100% like completely walk away or move away from my immediate space? A lot of times I’m back and forth between things and if I turn my back to get something or walk away to continue is that shown as a sign of me backing down?

Of course, np. So, I would take things slow around her, make sure you're not rushing away which can seem like running. If you need to walk sideways, that's fine. Just make sure you are deliberate and certain before everything you do, because that puts a lot of confidence into your body language.
Imagine your dad coming in the house for dinner after a long days work... he's thinking "hungry. eat food. yum." (or at least that's how I imagine men think) and that rather singular intent injects a lot of certitude and confidence into the body language.
You are the immovable rock. She must flex to your wishes, not the other way around.
She doesn't need to be across the field before you walk away, but she shouldn't be close to your heels either. You know her best and it's your instincts in the moment that will tell you whether she's too close, if she's looking at you with intent or not.
If she's gotten up on the roost while you're cleaning, stop and make her get down. If she's close and you need to go get a hammer, walk through her space expecting her to yield, and do something of an arc to go get it.
Sorry if this is somewhat vague but it's hard to describe movement, for me anyway.

P.S. she really looks like a hen to me. Training roosters doesn't work IMHO. But maybe a hen has a chance to learn without all that testosterone interfering.

 

[aart]

For cryin' out loud.....PECK HER BACK!!
That's what chickens understand.

Might not work after allowing ths behavior for so long, but.....
Have had this happen several times, mostly with hand fed chicks often as they come of age and get spunky. It's pretty easily curbed with calm and deliberate determination.

I peck them back, on the head or anywhere I can reach, with the tips of thumb and first 2 fingers, as hard and fast as many times as I can before they get away. Well, not hard enough to hurt them, just startle them and let them you mean business. That's what another chicken would do, so they understand that kind of communication.

If that doesn't work after a couple applications, I hold them down to the ground with my hand on their back until they submit....again firmly enough to get the job done but not hurt them....add a few finger pecks and/or tug on the feathers on the back of their neck.

 

[Mother-Hen-Michele]

For cryin' out loud.....PECK HER BACK!!

I swear I laughed so hard I choked on my coffee.

Thank you for the mental image.

 

[FunClucks]

I was able to zoom in on a video I have from more recently she looks the same now the photo isnt great quality

Looks like a hen to me. Absolutely unacceptable behavior. Peck her back, keep her out of your space, start talking chicken and show that she can't do that to you anymore. Be the head hen, because right now she thinks that she's the head hen, and is doing all sorts of dominance behaviors to you.

If that were my hen, I would cull (eat or rehome). She's taking all the joy out of chickening for you. Wouldn't want the others to start copying her behavior. Some chickens are just not right in the head. Sorry you're dealing with this.

 

[Annabellaa]

For cryin' out loud.....PECK HER BACK!!
That's what chickens understand.

Might not work after allowing ths behavior for so long, but.....
Have had this happen several times, mostly with hand fed chicks often as they come of age and get spunky. It's pretty easily curbed with calm and deliberate determination.

I peck them back, on the head or anywhere I can reach, with the tips of thumb and first 2 fingers, as hard and fast as many times as I can before they get away. Well, not hard enough to hurt them, just startle them and let them you mean business. That's what another chicken would do, so they understand that kind of communication.

If that doesn't work after a couple applications, I hold them down to the ground with my hand on their back until they submit....again firmly enough to get the job done but not hurt them....add a few finger pecks and/or tug on the feathers on the back of their neck.

I have held her down and submitted her quite a few times to the point she knows it’s coming and sometimes will even get down and spread her wings when I go after her. After I submit her or turn her upside down she’s okay for a while I haven’t thought of pecking her back tho I will definitely do that!

 

[Annabellaa]

Looks like a hen to me. Absolutely unacceptable behavior. Peck her back, keep her out of your space, start talking chicken and show that she can't do that to you anymore. Be the head hen, because right now she thinks that she's the head hen, and is doing all sorts of dominance behaviors to you.

If that were my hen, I would cull (eat or rehome). She's taking all the joy out of chickening for you. Wouldn't want the others to start copying her behavior. Some chickens are just not right in the head. Sorry you're dealing with this.

I’m starting to lean towards rehoming her. I’ve been so lucky with all my other hens. Sometimes I don’t even see her getting ready to charge me and my other hens back her down. They’re peck at her or stand between us and puff their feathers out and stand tall like they are going to attack. They are all so sweet and I haven’t had a single problem with the rest of them. Sometimes when she pecks before I even get a chance to grab her in a split second another hen is already on her. I would hate if they suddenly turned and started acting like her I would rather give her away than have that happen.

 

[Annabellaa]

Of course, np. So, I would take things slow around her, make sure you're not rushing away which can seem like running. If you need to walk sideways, that's fine. Just make sure you are deliberate and certain before everything you do, because that puts a lot of confidence into your body language.
Imagine your dad coming in the house for dinner after a long days work... he's thinking "hungry. eat food. yum." (or at least that's how I imagine men think) and that rather singular intent injects a lot of certitude and confidence into the body language.
You are the immovable rock. She must flex to your wishes, not the other way around.
She doesn't need to be across the field before you walk away, but she shouldn't be close to your heels either. You know her best and it's your instincts in the moment that will tell you whether she's too close, if she's looking at you with intent or not.
If she's gotten up on the roost while you're cleaning, stop and make her get down. If she's close and you need to go get a hammer, walk through her space expecting her to yield, and do something of an arc to go get it.
Sorry if this is somewhat vague but it's hard to describe movement, for me anyway.

P.S. she really looks like a hen to me. Training roosters doesn't work IMHO. But maybe a hen has a chance to learn without all that testosterone interfering.

It isn’t vague it is very helpful. I haven’t even bothered to let her outside today with my other hens. I took her out for a moment to take some pictures and just put her back in the coop. I hope she is not a rooster and there is still some hope fingers crossed if she is a rooster I’m just going to give her away. Unfortunately I am a softy and cannot cull her myself but maybe if I give her to someone with a larger flock (I know people with 100-200 in the flock) that doesn’t interact with them and uses them only for eggs she won’t be a problem. As she is usually not aggressive with other hens as far as I’ve seen.

 

[FunClucks]

Rehom

It isn’t vague it is very helpful. I haven’t even bothered to let her outside today with my other hens. I took her out for a moment to take some pictures and just put her back in the coop. I hope she is not a rooster and there is still some hope fingers crossed if she is a rooster I’m just going to give her away. Unfortunately I am a softy and cannot cull her myself but maybe if I give her to someone with a larger flock (I know people with 100-200 in the flock) that doesn’t interact with them and uses them only for eggs she won’t be a problem. As she is usually not aggressive with other hens as far as I’ve seen.

Rehome her ASAP. You will be surprised at how much more peaceful your flock is without her, and all the stress will be gone. Imagine how nice it will be without her there.

I had to rehome a couple and never regretted it. Always solve for peace in the flock.

Your management style and her personality just don't mesh well. It's okay to rehome.