My aggressive chicken

[chickens 4 ever]

I have two chickens and one of them, her name is Peep just started acting up.
I don't live on a farm. But she will gets really aggressive and I don't know why!
If I put my foot a little bit in front of her face she attacks it. It's weird

.
Also I have been pecked in the face (not the eye thankfully) twice. And my
friend came over and she is used to holding chickens and she was just holding her and
then she pecked her in the lip and she started bleeding! So if anyone knows why my
chickens is acting like this PLEASE let me know! It would be a great help! Thanks!

 

[Roosterlover5]

Are you sure its a hen?

 

[amillecay]

Yeah that would be my first question ^ and then how old is it?

 

[RedDrgn]

In addition to the questions already asked - why are you scaring your chick like that? Consider what you're doing from the chicks angle; you are HUGE. If you put your gigantic foot or face in my face, I might just peck at you, too.

Also, you really shouldn't ever let a chicken get within pecking distance of an eye - they tend to peck anything that they find of interest (especially shiny moving things) and can cause serious eye trauma.

 

[theoldchick]

Chickens are not a domesticated house pet. They still have certain behaviors to help with survival. One behavior is to peck at anything that moves: eyes and lips are perfect potential food sources. Another is to run when threatened, or attack whatever is challenging them. Young cockerels typically display the behavior you describe as they are developing skills to make them top rooster in the flock.

The best thing to do is to keep chickens away from your face and to avoid sticking your foot in the youngster's face. Once you appear to be another chicken to your chickens you will be involved with aggressive behavior as the birds mature.

Chickens are chickens. Even when they are cute and fuzzy.

 

[devora]

Look Ma, no hands!

If a chicken wants to figure out what something is (your big ol' foot, your friend's face) s/he's gotta peck at it.

Also, guy. May be a guy bird.

 

[chickens 4 ever]

No she lays eggs, it's definitley a girl.... And to red dragon or whatever, she is not a chick, she is
fully grown... I don't put my foot in her face she just attacks it by herself. Also my face wasn't near
the chickens beak. She just jumped up and pecked me out of thin air. So anymore suggestions? PLEASE
I NEED THEM!

 

[chickens 4 ever]

Oh and my chicken is like a year and a couple months old...

 

[RedDrgn]

No she lays eggs, it's definitley a girl.... And to red dragon or whatever, she is not a chick, she is
fully grown... I don't put my foot in her face she just attacks it by herself. Also my face wasn't near
the chickens beak. She just jumped up and pecked me out of thin air. So anymore suggestions? PLEASE
I NEED THEM!

I made the leap from the name "Peep" to chick, but my advice still applies. You're STILL enormous compared to them, so you still need to be careful about how you behave around them.

If they're coming at you, then they are perceiving you as a threat for some reason or other. Don't walk right up to them, or even get that close. Stop a few feet away and crouch down with a handful of their feed or some other chicken-friendly snack that they enjoy. Start keeping something for them to munch on with you and always present it to them first whenever you approach. Don't rush up to them, don't make too many quick movements around them, and don't lean over them. Be patient and calm around them and demonstrate that you are not a threat, nor a chicken. It may take some time, but if you put the time in to allow them to get used to you and change how they perceive you, it will pay off in the end.

 

[chickens 4 ever]

Ok!!!!!! I will try that! Thank you sooooooo much for your help

... I hope this works!