Hen Attacking Me Daily

[BlueBaby]

Unfortunately it happens outside of the coop as well and she seeks me out I usually don’t approach my hens I allow them to come to me. The only person she doesn’t do it too funny enough is my dad who she barely sees. All of my siblings and anyone near her she attacks my dad for some reason she just will not mess with (he’s pretty scary to be fair lol)

Is that the black chicken in your third picture on the top row that you posted earlier? I still say that it has a curved down tail of a rooster developing.

 

[SourRoses]

Understood. Because she is so very persistent I would try using the rake above her head and twist it. Moving shadows above their heads are very intimidating. She needs to think you are the bigger bird. I would also only move in ways that take space (forward), rather than yield space (stepping back).

I spent some time with natural horsemanship trainers and one of the concepts they teach is "Do as much as necessary but as little as needed".
Meaning you let the animal set the tone.
If they're confrontational, you act as aggressively as needed to get them to back off.
When they retreat, you let them, and don't try to punish them or scare them further over a behavior they're not in that moment displaying.
With that approach, you know you are not abusing an animal, you don't have to feel guilty later, and you don't accidentally create more problems later.

 

[Annabellaa]

I had a mean girl whom I tried to "educate" in all the traditional ways of showing I was above her in the pecking order, but it didn't work.

I cured her meanness with kindness.

When I caught her being mean to another her instead of scolding her I picked her up and held her gently against me and whispered sweet sounds into her ear. Something about that was disconcerting and she became much more confident and less aggressive.

Don't forget that chickens fight because they are afraid for their safety. The hen at the top doesn't fight, the ones at the bottom with low access to resources are the ones who fight.

Maybe she was your favorite and she lost her status?

It’s definitely possible she lost her status. When I introduced them all to my older hens (the head of the pecking order has been my baby since day 1) she may have gotten jealous or even a little shocked when she all of a sudden became bottom of the pecking order between all her sisters and the older one. She is more often sweet than she is mean. And does seek me out, she will sunbathe beside me as I’m working on equipment and hang out wherever I am without issue and does enjoy love and attention as far as I can tell. It’s just as soon as she sees skin or my hands are within distance of her she just goes nuts. Sometimes she does it and just looks at me and runs away or just goes back to looking at the floor like nothing happened.

 

[Annabellaa]

Is that the black chicken in your third picture on the top row that you posted earlier? I still say that it has a curved down tail of a rooster developing.

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

 

[Mother-Hen-Michele]

It’s just as soon as she sees skin or my hands are within distance of her she just goes nuts.

(Assuming she isn't a rooster somehow)

Is it possible someone hit her? You said she attacks others too. Maybe something happened (maybe by accident)

If that is the case, I vote affection will fix what nothing else has so far.

Separate her and give her some love.

If she is a boy, if the others are laying she should be crowing
.. no?

 

[Annabellaa]

Understood. Because she is so very persistent I would try using the rake above her head and twist it. Moving shadows above their heads are very intimidating. She needs to think you are the bigger bird. I would also only move in ways that take space (forward), rather than yield space (stepping back).

I spent some time with natural horsemanship trainers and one of the concepts they teach is "Do as much as necessary but as little as needed".
Meaning you let the animal set the tone.
If they're confrontational, you act as aggressively as needed to get them to back off.
When they retreat, you let them, and don't try to punish them or scare them further over a behavior they're not in that moment displaying.
With that approach, you know you are not abusing an animal, you don't have to feel guilty later, and you don't accidentally create more problems later.

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?

 

[Annabellaa]

(Assuming she isn't a rooster somehow)

Is it possible someone hit her? You said she attacks others too. Maybe something happened (maybe by accident)

If that is the case, I vote affection will fix what nothing else has so far.

Separate her and give her some love.

If she is a boy, if the others are laying she should be crowing
.. no?

No there’s no way someone hit her. I keep the coop locked with a padlock only I have the key too. I work on the farm so I’m there everyday usually sun up to sun down no one is there except my father and when others are visiting I’m around. And that’s the thing! She is the only one that doesn’t make a sound. An occasional complaint when she pecks me and I grab her. But no crowing no noise AT ALL not even passive noises as she goes about her day. Her wattles have dropped since those photos and her comb has grown but not very large. All of my other hens are noisy all day long I have one that just yells from the moment she lays an egg until she goes to bed. But not a single peep out of the mean one

 

[Annabellaa]

'If she was a rooster it would make so much sense. But the website says they are available as females only. I guess it’s still possible?'

It is possible that she is indeed a he, as with most breeds the only way for them to tell at a day old is by vent sexing, and that only has 90% accuracy most of the time.

Are these photos recent?
If not, can you get some more?

Yes I can definitely get some more tomorrow her comb and wattles have changed a bit since those photos but really not much

 

[Mother-Hen-Michele]

? 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?

I would not take a chance and I would put her in time out while I am cleaning. Into an area where you can close a door on her
Too dangerous that you can get charged when you aren't expecting it.

 

[Annabellaa]

Yes I can definitely get some more tomorrow her comb and wattles have changed a bit since those photos but really not much

I was able to zoom in on a video I have from more recently she looks the same now the photo isn’t great quality