Jealous hen?

[Babygarmuchi]

Hello! I have 4 chickens, all different breeds. They are 6 months old, we’re all gotten as chicks on the same day, raised together, and are all laying now. My Golden comet, Flash, was the second to begin laying, and has been for a few months now. She is my sweetie. Very sweet, loves attention, etc. Until the other day. I let them out of the run in the morning to free range, and as usual, she was the first one out. My other girl, Cheep Cheep, was the last out. When she came out, she did her little “curtsy” to let me pet her, so I reached down to do so. When from across the yard, Flash comes running back over to me, and bit me... Hard! She actually broke the skin. I was kind of in shock at what had just happened, and then reached down to pet Cheep Cheep again, and again, she tried to bite me. I walked away and then another hen curtsied, and I went to pet her, and Flash runs over to try and bite me again. I walked back towards the house and she followed me. I tried petting her, and she let me. Showed no sign of aggression when I tried to pet her, only the other chickens. Is she jealous? Or trying to protect the others? I do not have a roo, so didn’t know if one would try to take on that role without a roo present. Any insight would be great. Thank you so much.

 

[Laura_BelgianBantams_63]

Hello! I have 4 chickens, all different breeds. They are 6 months old, we’re all gotten as chicks on the same day, raised together, and are all laying now. My Golden comet, Flash, was the second to begin laying, and has been for a few months now. She is my sweetie. Very sweet, loves attention, etc. Until the other day. I let them out of the run in the morning to free range, and as usual, she was the first one out. My other girl, Cheep Cheep, was the last out. When she came out, she did her little “curtsy” to let me pet her, so I reached down to do so. When from across the yard, Flash comes running back over to me, and bit me... Hard! She actually broke the skin. I was kind of in shock at what had just happened, and then reached down to pet Cheep Cheep again, and again, she tried to bite me. I walked away and then another hen curtsied, and I went to pet her, and Flash runs over to try and bite me again. I walked back towards the house and she followed me. I tried petting her, and she let me. Showed no sign of aggression when I tried to pet her, only the other chickens. Is she jealous? Or trying to protect the others? I do not have a roo, so didn’t know if one would try to take on that role without a roo present. Any insight would be great. Thank you so much.

Maybe she think's you're giving them food or a treat of some sought. She must be jealous...I have no other explanation. Are you sure she's a hen and laying? Have you seen her lay? Could you provide some pictures of the hen?
-Laura

 

[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.

 

[Babygarmuchi]

Maybe she think's you're giving them food or a treat of some sought. She must be jealous...I have no other explanation. Are you sure she's a hen and laying? Have you seen her lay? Could you provide some pictures of the hen?
-Laura

She’s definitely a hen. She has the body of a hen, and I get 4 eggs daily and only have 4 chickens, so she has to be a hen. When she thinks I have food, she gets excited, but never bites me. She didn’t act like that when I actually went out with treats, only when I pet the others on the back. She started doing it to my husband too.

 

[featherhead007]

I have a very jealous hen like that too. She sneaked up and bit me hard yesterday. (I was holding another of my hens, at the time) Why do they act this way?