Hen biting my hand

[jclausen]

I have a hen about 4 months old that grabs the back of my hand and punches me very hard. She has broken the the skin twice now. Why would she do this. She seems to be the most matured one.

 

[ChocolateWingTheRooster]

Do you feed your chickens treats? I do and mine peck me too.

 

[NNYchick]

I have a hen about 4 months old that grabs the back of my hand and punches me very hard. She has broken the the skin twice now. Why would she do this. She seems to be the most matured one.

What are you doing when this happens? It could be she is trying to make treats appear, it may be your hand is in her personal space and she doesn’t want it there.

 

[Folly's place]

If you are hand feeding, try throwing treats on the ground instead, as you call them. Keep your hands untouchable!
She's being rude, and you need to fix it soonest. If you can, peck her back immediately, fast, several times. Hard enough to be offensive but not cause harm. Or, push her away firmly, again, not to injure, but to make your point.
You should not be a flock member to be pushed around, you are the giant who brings food. It's easy with your first birds to try to make friends, but these are chickens, and won't react as you expect every time. She should respect your space, and enter it by invitation only, and never be so rude.
If you watch them, a subordinate bird never pecks a bird higher in the pecking order, it's just not done in normal interactions.
Mary

 

[aart]

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.

 

[Brady bunch]

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.

You're right. We do that when they are peaking at us. Are chickens do this squat at that means that they show dominance to other chickens. So if they peck at us we do what aart said and it makes them show some respect to me and other chickens.

 

[aart]

Are chickens do this squat at that means that they show dominance to other chickens.

Squatting is submission,
either due to pecking order status or acceptance of being mated.

 

[jclausen]

Do you feed your chickens treats? I do and mine peck me too.

Yes but not by hand. We give Meal Worms.

 

[jclausen]

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.

Thanks for that info. I give that a try. She is not just peck it is pinch and hold. Has broke skin on back of my hand.

 

[jclausen]

Squatting is submission,
either due to pecking order status or acceptance of being mated.

Lol I do not want to mate with her.That maybe it she has also jumped on my back a few times when I was squatting down to pet the other hens.