I have 4 buff orp hens that are 10 months old. They have always been timid, docile and easily handled. In the last two weeks, the biggest of the 4 has started pecking my husband and myself. At first, it was just our pant legs, I thought she was wanted picked up. Now, she is aggresively attacking us. She just put a blood blister on my wrist!! It has nothing to do with eggs. She is demonstrating this behaviour in the run and the house. The Orps are the low chickens in the pecking order and she is not acting out against the other hens, just myself and my husband. When she pecked me hard enough to raise a welt, I gently kicked her. She came right back at me! I reached down and picked her up, and she became docile again. I cannot have this behaviour and I will not tolerate an attacking chicken. Does anyone have any ideas?? If I can not break this behaviour, she will be noodles. Any suggestions?
You did right by picking ehr up. You can make this a daily habit, so she knows you are boss. You can also pen her seperately--where the other birds can see her--for a few days. A crate within the coop or run may do the trick. Make sure she has food and water. This will knock her WAY down the pecking order, and should "reset" her behavior. I do this to young roos who get over-excited. It basically turns them back to "chick" behavior for a while. Sometimes permanently. Otherwise: SOUP! Good luck!
I have an aggressive Buff as well. I think its funny that she tries to "take me on". I've just recently pulled her out for a few weeks with those exact intentions, knocking her down a few levels on the pecking order. So far so good, she just follows me around now. Good luck! (no soup!!)
Next time, don't let them peck at your pant legs. I agree with separating her for a few days and picking her up. Be sure you're not inadvertantly telling her you're submissive by backing up when she pecks at you.
Too cold to seperate her right now, but I will try picking her up before she pecks me!! I can't tell the orps apart, so she is able to sneak up on me!! She has made me hesitant to go see my girls. I will just pick up any orp that gets too close, I guess. I won't turn her into noodles, I was just feeling the pain of my blood blister at the time of my initial post. I will have to figure out a way to moderate this bad behaviour. I like snuggling Orps, so I guess Orp wrangling is in my future..........
