My EE is a Spaz - Is this normal?

[TheSpiceGirls]

Question for those with Easter Eggers. Is this normal behavior?

I bought 4 chicks from a local feed and fuel 16 weeks ago. The more I read and learn, the more I wish I had gone with a local breeder. Anyway, she was sold to me as an Ameraucana but when I posted a photo of her to this group a while back, I was corrected that she's an Easter Egger. Which is fine. I really just want a few hens for eggs. I have nho plans on breeding them and I felt it was important to get chickens that were vaccinated for Mareks.

But she is a spaz. She's verbal, flighty, constantly crouching down at bobbing and weaving at me like she's going to attack me and actually, she has on several occasions. I know she doesn't see well. We've established that. But the rest of her behavior doesn't seem to fit the breed.

Just curious what others have to say about their EE's. Is this normal teenager behavior and maybe (hopefully?) she'll mellow out as she ages? Or did I just get one spaz bird that was perhaps dropped in the egg?

She's entertaining. I'll give her that. And while she chases my Buff Orpington around, there's no feather pulling or bloodshed so I think they get along quite well. But I would never buy one again if I thought I'd end up with the same bird.

Thoughts? Comments?

 

[dweder]

My EE was a spaz until she started laying. She was skittish and uninterested in people. Once she started laying, she is a completely different hen. I also enjoy her egg song when she lays. She is by far, my loudest hen before and after she lays. Everyone knows she just left a present in the nest box.

I felt the same way when she was young, regretful for choosing the breed. She is now my favorite.

Good luck.

 

[gryeyes]

I really like my EEs. They're not the huggable type, but they're friendly, interesting and interested IN things, lay lovely eggs, and are pretty, none of them looking exactly like another.

 

[Lisa202]

Quote:
ditto. and are the bravest too.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

If your chicken is aggressive to you, then you need to show her that you are at the top of the pecking order. Simply grab her when she tries to intimidate you, hold her to the ground with your hands (kind of push her flat on the ground), and hold her there.

No need to speak to her. Then let go. (Do this just firmly, in such a way that she isn't hurt at all.)

When one hen tries to peck at another hen, unless that hen is lower on the pecking order, there is something done by that hen. This has worked for me in the past. I am the top hen.

Don't accept aggression to YOU from chickens.

To answer your question, I have 5 EEs (laying) and 6 EE baby chicks. They are sweet but don't like to be caught. They do squat for me now that they are laying, as I walk by. They come up to me to say hi, and seem to like people, but from a distance.

They are excellent layers (in their pullet year right now)! And everyone calls them ameraucanas. The feed stores and auctions around here don't call them EEs. So you got what you should have received when you bought ameraucanas, unless you were specifically searching for "Ameraucanas" the breed.

However, when you associate with breeders, like here on BYC, they get really "accurate" and tell you they aren't ameraucanas. Which is true if they don't conform to the standard of perfection for ameraucanas.

I think it is really confusing that everyone calls them ameraucanas- they shouldn't. But you will see that in a lot of places, unfortunately.

 

[new chick 203]

Quote:
ditto. and are the bravest too.

Ours too. She stood up to a hawk that was trying to get into the run. We call her "Rosie the Brave" now.

 

[mrsbos]

I have three 6 month old EEs. One has always been very friendly and affectionate---our cuddle chicken. Our golden colored one was always very vocal, and didn't like being held, but she either changed her attitude when she started laying about 6 weeks ago, or our constant slathering of affectionate attention finally paid off and now she seems to enjoy being cuddled. Our third pullet, "Fluffy", has NO interest whatsoever in being in anyone's lap or being held, I've never witnessed her singing the egg song, and she is quick to "bite" (and by biting I "could " give her the benefit of the doubt that she thought there was something edible on whatever part of my body she bit....but I'm never sure about that). I think with the mixed "breeds" like EEs, it would be hard to assign them a distinct personality trait.

I'd definitely get more EEs if I could. They started laying around 22 weeks old (last month), and I get 2 to 3 beautiful blue and olive green eggs every day. I think Fluffy is laying the bluish ones.

 

[TheSpiceGirls]

So it sounds like I really can't pass judgement on my EE until she starts laying. She's 16 weeks today so about another month to 6 weeks and maybe she'll mellow out. I hope.

Thanks all.

 

[Cass]

Quote:
Sometimes chickens try to pick things off our skin. I had a small roo that thought a mole on my neck was ediable and drew blood, after a while, trying to pick it off to eat....I would give your biter the benefit of the doubt unless they change the spot they are targeting and there is no discoloration in the new spot.

 

[gordonburrito]

Both of our went through a flighty teenage stage after being cuddle butts as chicks. Then they started laying and warmed up again. One of our EEs will even squat and then wait for several minutes while you get around to her....so long as she sees she has your attention. Laying seems to instigate a major personality change in a lot of cases. So, there is hope for her