Is this normal?

[Jld13]

I have a hen who is 22 weeks old. Not laying yet. She’s with my second batch of chickens I’ve had. All raised from chicks, held, hand fed, and our feather babies. For some reason, she is incredibly aggressive with me. All the others squat for pets and snuggles. She literally runs at me,neck feathers fluffed out, wings spread and bites the tar our of me. Every time… I am a softy the thought of hurting an animal hurts me. It doesn’t hurt, but my goodness…. Any thoughts?? She’s an Olive Egger by the way

 

[artbykarenehaley]

It sounds like she is challenging you to put you under her in the pecking order. Using your hand to peck and put her in her place usually is all it takes. Chicken language for "I'm above you on the pecking order, don't push it."

If the hand "pecking" doesn't work, you may have to catch her and restrain her in one place. You can do this without hurting her. First you catch her and, with your hands around her wings, hold her in place. She will resist. Don't let her loose. Hold her down so that her tummy is on the ground, when she relaxes she is submitting to you.
This is how a rooster claims his place over another rooster that doesn't get it with simple pecking.

I have an EE that had an aggression issue. She also has a reproductive problem that results in weird, warty eggs. She occasionally crows, and she mounts the other hens. so she's my wild card chicken.

She tried this with me many times before she started to lay, and the hand peck didn't really send the message so I had to do the restraint technique. Thankfully it worked. I don't want an aggressive bird around my kids.

 

[Painted Calls]

She has a female specific pattern.

Some females are just brash. Hopefully someone has some tips for correcting the behavior.

 

[3KillerBs]

Have you tried pecking her back? Telling her in chicken language "I'm the boss".

Use your thumb and fingers to make a "beak" and peck her fast and hard to assert your dominance.

You're unlikely to be able to peck her hard enough that way to actually hurt her.

 

[3KillerBs]

Ok I followed the suggestions and the only one that worked, for a couple of days, was where I held her down on her tummy. I think it made it even worse now. This morning she drew blood on my foot…. Besides culling is there anything else? And she’s still not laying…. 23 weeks now
Picture of my jerk Olive Egger with my sweet lap sapphire gem (who’s been laying for weeks now)…

You could try the pinless peepers. They work for some people.

However, not to be callous, but if this chicken is causing you to lack joy in your chickenkeeping and, especially, if she's disrupting the peace of the flock then sell her or eat her and keep the ones who are giving you joy.

 

[BarnyardChaos]

I'm not entirely sure that's a hen. Sounds like classic rooster behavior, and although the comb and wattles are smallish, they are bright red (if it's a hen, she's already laying or about to any day). If you could get a closer look at her(his?) saddle and tail feathers, you might have your answer. I think I see in your pic evidence of saddle feathers.

 

[Jld13]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. Fingers crossed!

 

[Audialogical]

My hens that look like that and were called Easter eggers aren't laying and their faces have been red for three weeks but they keep getting redder. They hate being touched too but they aren't mean. Hatched in the beginning of April. I heard they take longer to start.

 

[ValarieF]

I do the petcarrier method. Put her in a pet carrier for a couple of days with food and water. let her see her flock but not mingle with them usually works on bully chickens. Takes them down a notch.

 

[Jld13]

Have you tried pecking her back? Telling her in chicken language "I'm the boss".

Use your thumb and fingers to make a "beak" and peck her fast and hard to assert your dominance.

You're unlikely to be able to peck her hard enough that way to actually hurt her.

Thank you so much. I will try that!!

She has a female specific pattern.

Some females are just brash. Hopefully someone has some tips for correcting the behavior.

hopefully so!