How to stop chicken from attacking me?

[flockoffour]

My 22 week ba hen will not stop biting me. At first I would "peck" her back, until one day I did that and then she full-out attacked my hand right afterwards. Whenever my hand is within distance, she will go after me. I tried picking her up and carrying her every time she bit me, but she would find a way to bite me while I was holding her. I have tried ignoring, throwing food, even wearing gloves and not changing my dynamic when she goes after me, but it almost feels like she is only getting worse? Getting rid of her or killing her is absolutley not an option, and also she is my dominant hen. What should I do???

 

[Kevin565]

Are you positive she's truly a she?

 

[flockoffour]

Yes, she has never crowed and she is the same size, etc. as all my other chickens

 

[SRHH]

Have you tried carrying a tidbit of something yummy every time you go out? Offer it to her to teach you are a food source and not food.

I have a hen who would probably do this to me if I "pecked" her back. Instead I find her something interesting to eat and she usually gets distracted.

 

[NovaAman]

So, do you have a rooster at all? She may be acting as rooster if you don't. Post a picture of her... That is typical rooster behaviour, not that she is, that is just what a rooster will do when protecting their flock. She may be taking the roll herself. So, you may need to treat her as if she were the rooster. Give her a carry upside down by her feet around the other girls, show her you are boss. Chase her around the yard with your arms out a bit, like you are puffing yourself up. I do mean chase too, chase her till she hides. Give her light kicks, not a big boot, you don't want to hurt her, but this is what chickens do, while you are chasing her... I did that to the neighbors roo when I was taking care of them while they were gone, and he NEVER attacked me again. Chase him all over the yard... Boy did my knees hurt when I was done...

 

[flockoffour]

Thanks for the advice, I'll be sure to try that.

 

[Bulldogma]

Chase her around the yard with your arms out a bit, like you are puffing yourself up. I do mean chase too, chase her till she hides. Give her light kicks, not a big boot, you don't want to hurt her, but this is what chickens do, while you are chasing her... I did that to the neighbors roo when I was taking care of them while they were gone, and he NEVER attacked me again. Chase him all over the yard...

And please be sure to post a video!

And good luck with her! Let us know how things work out.

 

[NovaAman]

Yeah! Post a video! Lol

 

[janinepeters]

So, do you have a rooster at all? She may be acting as rooster if you don't. Post a picture of her... That is typical rooster behaviour, not that she is, that is just what a rooster will do when protecting their flock. She may be taking the roll herself. So, you may need to treat her as if she were the rooster. Give her a carry upside down by her feet around the other girls, show her you are boss. Chase her around the yard with your arms out a bit, like you are puffing yourself up. I do mean chase too, chase her till she hides. Give her light kicks, not a big boot, you don't want to hurt her, but this is what chickens do, while you are chasing her... I did that to the neighbors roo when I was taking care of them while they were gone, and he NEVER attacked me again. Chase him all over the yard... Boy did my knees hurt when I was done...

Maybe this works sometimes, but in other cases it definitely worsens the bird's aggression, because you are making yourself look even more like a potential threat. Roosters (and the occasional dominant hen) attack people for the same reasons they attack other roosters (competition) or another animal (protecting flock from predators). If you act like another roo or a predator, many roosters will never give in and will fight to the death. That is, nothing will intimidate him (her) from attacking you. This has been discussed many times in the past, and I have seen this happen myself.

If you are able to keep a rooster, that might help. He will probably become the dominant bird, in which case she may relinquish the role of protecter. I say "may" because I have seen a situation where only the subordinate rooster would attack people in a flock with 2 roosters.

 

[flockoffour]

I have tried this, but she will try to bite my hand until I drop it, but it doesn't seem to particularly increase with food.