My Australorp bites me. What do I do?

[Annalyse]

My 10 almost 11-week old Australorp bites me. I'll try and pick her up and she'll bite me. She doesn't break skin its just a little nip but she is buddy-buddy with my rooster and they love to mess with each other. There all 10-11 weeks old. How do I stop this bad behavior? What can I do?

 

[Rammy]

You sure its not a rooster?

 

[Annalyse]

You sure its not a rooster?

yes very sure I would take a picture but its night and I don't have any from there now age.

 

[50-45-1]

she does not like to be picked up and messed with.
Not every chicken will tollerate it. They are not kittens.
Instead of pushing yourself on her, try offering treets in your hand and she will come to you, and lessen her fear and defensive behavior when she trusts you more.
Still, not every chicken has a pet personality. Some tend more twords dinosaur.

 

[Annalyse]

she does not like to be picked up and messed with.
Not every chicken will tollerate it. They are not kittens.
Instead of pushing yourself on her, try offering treets in your hand and she will come to you, and lessen her fear and defensive behavior when she trusts you more.
Still, not every chicken has a pet personality. Some tend more twords dinosaur.

yes she will eat out of my hand but when it comes to picking her up she doesn't want me to but she also gives me the look or does that thing towards me when they're on the roost and I'm touching the hen next to her and she like wants to bite me or something but she is NOT a rooster just saying.

 

[rosemarythyme]

If she pecks you, you peck her back - jab her in the back of the neck/back, not hard enough to hurt, but enough to get a reaction. That's how a hen would tell a chick that enough's enough.

 

[Annalyse]

If she pecks you, you peck her back - jab her in the back of the neck/back, not hard enough to hurt, but enough to get a reaction. That's how a hen would tell a chick that enough's enough.

ill try but i don't want them to think I'm hurting them

 

[aart]

ill try but i don't want them to think I'm hurting them

Pecking is how chickens communicate.
She's telling you..."I don't want to be held".
By pecking them back you are telling them....."Hey, I'm not going to tolerate that!"


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.

 

[Annalyse]

Pecking is how chickens communicate.
She's telling you..."I don't want to be held".
By pecking them back you are telling them....."Hey, I'm not going to tolerate that!"


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.

okay thank you