Hen trying to attack me

[melissac]

My polish hen has started getting aggressive with me. For a while, she's tried to peck my toes (I'm in Florida and I wear sandals everywhere). So I've started putting regular shoes on. Now she runs over to me and puffs up like she's going to attack me. I thwart her before she does, but it's very distracting to me doing what I need to do. How do I get back the dominance?

She's one year old. She was raised with 4 other chicks, another polish ended up being a rooster. From day one, he would get between me and the other chicks when I would reach in the cage. I always blamed him for the hens not being as friendly as the others. Once old enough for the kids to hold, we've held the chickens a lot. I have two boys in 4H, so I wanted the chickens comfortable with being held, especially with kids. Anyway, the rooster became very aggressive a couple months ago. He puffed up at us a lot. Then he attacked a friend that was feeding them while we were on a trip. I had his spurs taken off and isolated him in a separate coop until the fair. I gave him away to a Middle School FFA program after the fair.

Since then, her obsession with my toes has gotten worse. Then I put our new chicks in a small coop inside the run with the other chickens so they can get used to them. Now she tries to attack me when I'm on the ground getting the chicks' food and water refilled. I assume she's either assuming the flock protector role because the rooster is gone, or she's in a tizzy because of the chicks.

Either way, how can I get her to stop? I don't want the boys to go in the coop alone anymore. Will I have to get rid of her?

Thanks!

 

[dekel18042]

Either of your assumptions could be correct. Does she react differently to your feet if they are in sandals as opposed to shoes or boots? My chickens are very friendly but love to peck my toe nails if they are wearing polish. Guess they like the bright and shiny colors. They also will go after jewelry. Guess it's not just parrots who are attracted to bright things.

 

[melissac]

Unfortunately, I am very bad at having pretty toenails. When I do get them done, I ignore them forever, so there ends up a little dot of color on my big toe only. It's a possibility the toe thing was just because of that. I didn't really mind that, because I can always wear shoes. When I do, she doesn't seem to care about my feet. She used to peck at my toes when the rooster was still around.
This new aggression seems different. It seems personal somehow (maybe she figured out that I'm the reason the rooster is gone!). She doesn't act aggressive towards the other hens.
I just went into the coop, and she came running at me. I swatted at her with the food scoop, but I don't think that will change the behavior. Does pulling their heads down like the roosters help? I tried that yesterday, but it didn't really work. Maybe it wasn't long enough.

 

[azygous]

When she came "running at you" when you entered the coop, were you carrying anything that had food in it? Sometimes I'm not even aware that I have something in my hand that is a container that is similar to what I carry treats into the run in, and I get caught off guard when I'm mobbed. I expect it when I have a jar of treats, but don't expect it when a similar jar contains nails.

When it involves a hen, it's almost never true aggression when they charge at you or peck you on the back of the leg or foot. If you examine your behavior, you might see that what you perceive as aggression is really something a lot more benign, often precipitated by your own actions.

 

[dekel18042]

When she came "running at you" when you entered the coop, were you carrying anything that had food in it? Sometimes I'm not even aware that I have something in my hand that is a container that is similar to what I carry treats into the run in, and I get caught off guard when I'm mobbed. I expect it when I have a jar of treats, but don't expect it when a similar jar contains nails.

If my chickens think I have treats, they mob me, but they do it all at once, not individually. Or if one gets in the lead, someone else spots her, and becomes afraid the first chickens will get everything, so they all race in.
BTW, when I'm hand feeding my birds, the roosters are always more gentle in removing something from my hand. The hens will grab and race away. The roosters take gently and eat.

 

[aart]

Unfortunately, I am very bad at having pretty toenails. When I do get them done, I ignore them forever, so there ends up a little dot of color on my big toe only. It's a possibility the toe thing was just because of that. I didn't really mind that, because I can always wear shoes. When I do, she doesn't seem to care about my feet. She used to peck at my toes when the rooster was still around.
This new aggression seems different. It seems personal somehow (maybe she figured out that I'm the reason the rooster is gone!). She doesn't act aggressive towards the other hens.
I just went into the coop, and she came running at me. I swatted at her with the food scoop, but I don't think that will change the behavior. Does pulling their heads down like the roosters help? I tried that yesterday, but it didn't really work. Maybe it wasn't long enough.

If you just got rid of the rooster, she may be assuming his role as 'flock protector'.

Swatting or hitting or picking up or pinning down might help.
I'd try just walking right thru her first, staying calm and cool and squelching your annoyance/fear, make her get out of your way and carry on with your chores while ignoring her.