One of my hens keeps pecking me - please help

[Chambertin]

I agree, Really have to be careful with breathing problems. Luckily all chicks I have dealt with were just fine. (other than their ego)
Every bird I flipped calmed down really quick. I hold their feet with a finger in-between so I dont squish their joints any more than is comfortable for me, then push on their keel so the head is down and within a couple seconds they calm down and just accept. The faster you can get the head pointed down the less stressful and less flapping they seem to do.

After a couple minute walk with a calm verbal lesson about who's boss I let them go.
Usually doesnt take more than 4 times flipping a bird, maybe 5 for a crazy roo, and you have yourself a very nice chicken.

Any time spent wrangling chickens is somewhat stressful, but its very fast after you get the hang of it and they calm down completely so that when you let them go its as if nothing but a little humiliation happened.

Check your birds for the breathing problem, that would be incredibly stressful! I'd hate to put that on them.
I use the flip because its seems the fastest way to get them to calm down after they are picked up, every time I tried to football a roo they just struggled like a mad chicken and was aggravating for us both.

 

[chickiemomy]

One of my hens was overly anxious when the treats come out in the afternoon & she'd occasionally give me a solid pop on the kneecap. Even through jeans I'd have a blood blister.

I solved it by picking her up & holding her under my arm - but facing forward. Then while holding her I'd give the rest of the hens the treats - she had to watch & wait while the others gobbled down the treats. After a few minutes I'd let her down to join in.

I did that several days in a row - then held off to see if she'd learned. After about a week, she tried it again, so I repeated the lesson. She's pretty good now - I do have weed seeds plucked off my sweats - but I'm not being assaulted!

 

[Hualapaitiger]

Get another hen....

 

[Hualapaitiger]

Chicken Dinner...

 

[Serrin]

I have several girls that behave this way. It took me awhile to figure out just what it was they were trying to tell me. Once I did, there has been, for the most part, complete harmony between us. What did they want? Attention!

Yes, over the years, there have been two or three that wanted to assert their dominance, but mostly, it has been a way to get "Mom's" attention.

Sometimes it's hard to give each girl enough attention to satisfy them. Mornings can be the worst! I have 20 girls and 5 boys, ranging in age from 4 months to 7 years. Believe me, when 10 of those 20 girls wants attention, my legs can suffer! I just nudge the more persistent girls back with my foot while another girl is in my arms and getting her due cuddle time.

Thankfully, the boys are segregated into a separate yard and I can deal with them on a one to one basis. Each of my guys is just a big old softie and never try any shenanigans. Once in a great while, they forget. Then I just pick them up and restrict them. They quickly remember and things go back to normal.

So, try giving your wee lass some attention. It may be all that she's really trying to get from you!

 

[PrimroseMom1]

My Primrose started pecking very aggressively and meanly, grabbing skin and twisting it. Ouch!!! She was about 1 year old when she started. I give her a strong push in her chest and she is fine for a while and then needs the push again. Sometimes we have stare downs and she walks off other times she thinks and pecks, but she gets a correction everytime she pecks me. The push has a light open hand slap to it. Lesser corrections made her worse and I wasn't going to cull her. She is still very tame, comes running when she sees me and loves to be picked up and petted. She has never run from me or avoided me. She is not afraid of me at all but now respects me most of the time unless she wants to be at the top of the pecking order again. Lol. I am the roo, no one else! Lol

 

[Chambertin]

Pushing them in the chest be it rooster or hen only encourages the challenge.
You need to dominate them to make them understand that further challenges will only lead to a loss on their side.
The domination need not be mean, or out of spite, but it must be complete for them to get the message and start a healthy relationship.

Dont apply human emotion to their communication and reaction because your speaking Swahili to an alien with no ears when you do.
Think about how chickens act and try to blend in because they arent built to fit into our emotional states.

 

[PrimroseMom1]

Pushing them in the chest be it rooster or hen only encourages the challenge.
You need to dominate them to make them understand that further challenges will only lead to a loss on their side.
The domination need not be mean, or out of spite, but it must be complete for them to get the message and start a healthy relationship.

Dont apply human emotion to their communication and reaction because your speaking Swahili to an alien with no ears when you do.
Think about how chickens act and try to blend in because they arent built to fit into our emotional states.

Thanks for your comment. What specifically do you recommend to show I'm the boss??

 

[Chambertin]

I wrote some about it here, The Flip when I take them by the feet and hold them like that for a little bit.
Some say its a little too much and that some breeds have trouble breathing so be careful.
However its clear as day that you are the boss and dont worry, the chickens wont fear your or hold a grudge.
Mine still really like me and they all get it when they wont step in line with more gentle tactics

 

[PrimroseMom1]

I wrote some about it here, The Flip when I take them by the feet and hold them like that for a little bit.
Some say its a little too much and that some breeds have trouble breathing so be careful.
However its clear as day that you are the boss and dont worry, the chickens wont fear your or hold a grudge.
Mine still really like me and they all get it when they wont step in line with more gentle tactics

Thanks! I might be afraid to do something that could cause her to quit breathing. Do you have another suggestion?