Oregon

[Sumatra503]

As for the pecking hen. A squirt bottle is a very effective tool. Each time she pecks at you, squirt her. Chickens are very smart animals and she will associate getting squirted with pecking at you.

On a seperate note.....

Never show agression or dominance toward any chicken that is showing dominance or aggression toward you. This only invites them to challenge you further. You don't want your hens to associate you as top chicken, it causes them to constantly test you and attempt to integrate you into their pecking order.

Your hens should look at you as a people and not a chicken. A People should act toward the hens in an un-chickenly manner, both with affection and discipline. This way they will not treat you as a part of the pecking order, but as being on a wrung entirely out of their reach. You are not "Top Chicken", but "Top People". A people is just the creature that brings them food and gives them cuddles and is not a chicken, therefore a people is not treated with the same behavior a chicken is treated with by other chickens.

As a People you show them what is acceptable and what is not, but you do it in a way a chicken wouldn't. For instance, by squirting them or by catching and holding them or by locking them in Time Out(and, yes, they do understand Time Out). Not by kicking at them, pretending to peck them, or any other form of these actions that another chicken would use.


Just what I've noticed over the past few years. Hope it helps a bit.

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

My question would be, why do you have to handle her? Or does she attack you? I have a super mean hatchery hen, but she just free ranges with her little group, and all is well. If I try to handle her, I have to wear long sleeves and leather gloves, because she doesn't just peck me, she BITES!

 

[Sumatra503]

My question would be, why do you have to handle her? Or does she attack you? I have a super mean hatchery hen, but she just free ranges with her little group, and all is well. If I try to handle her, I have to wear long sleeves and leather gloves, because she doesn't just peck me, she BITES!

I have dealt with a few biting hens. I personally have no tolerance for it, as I like to be able to handle my hens at any given time without the use of gloves.

What you may try doing is handling her more often. Pick her up every day and carry her around. She will eventually learn that you aren't going to harm her and the biting may stop.

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

Quote: No, she's been mean since day one. I don't care though. I have no reason to handle her. I only still have her because my son is attached to her. She'll live out her days free ranging.

 

[ladyfaeden]

All items for sale need to be listed in the BSA section


Edited by Staff

 

[hokankai]

I have to disagree with this. The hens that I've dealt with who have been domineering have NEVER tested me once they knew I was boss. Chickens like order and feel more secure once they know their place. The birds I've dealt with never try to put me in their pecking order. They have there's among themselves, and then there's me who's in charge of everyone. Once the bird knows I'm boss the issue is over. I have NEVER had a juvenile, hen or rooster bite, flog, or jump at me, and the most I've let them test me is them trying to make themselves tall when I'm down working near them in the coop or when I'm handling them outside. One poke or even posturing of my hand and they lower themselves and walk away.

I don't need them to associate pecking me with feeling uncomfortable from a squirt bottle or being held in a weird position. That is way more training/work than speaking to them in their own language, and requires impeccable timing and be extremely consistent in order for that type of training to be effective. I'm a firm believer that the best way to prevent, and curb behavioral issues is to go to their level and tell them in a way they understand. They know I'm not a chicken, my cat knows I'm not a cat, my dogs know I'm not a dog, and my rabbits know I'm not a rabbit...but rather than force them to understand my language, I learn how to understand them by observing/researching their behavior amongst one another. Since I've been doing this I have never been bitten, scratched, pecked at, or acted towards aggressively by any animal I've come in contact with.

Just because you speak their language doesn't mean they think you're one of them. After all, I'm their Almighty bringer of food, treats, and freedom! Haha

Granted, I'm a huge animal behavior junkie and really enjoy training and researching all different species...so that's just the way I do things and I have never had a problem.

As for the pecking hen. A squirt bottle is a very effective tool. Each time she pecks at you, squirt her. Chickens are very smart animals and she will associate getting squirted with pecking at you.

On a seperate note.....

Never show agression or dominance toward any chicken that is showing dominance or aggression toward you. This only invites them to challenge you further. You don't want your hens to associate you as top chicken, it causes them to constantly test you and attempt to integrate you into their pecking order.

Your hens should look at you as a people and not a chicken. A People should act toward the hens in an un-chickenly manner, both with affection and discipline. This way they will not treat you as a part of the pecking order, but as being on a wrung entirely out of their reach. You are not "Top Chicken", but "Top People". A people is just the creature that brings them food and gives them cuddles and is not a chicken, therefore a people is not treated with the same behavior a chicken is treated with by other chickens.

As a People you show them what is acceptable and what is not, but you do it in a way a chicken wouldn't. For instance, by squirting them or by catching and holding them or by locking them in Time Out(and, yes, they do understand Time Out). Not by kicking at them, pretending to peck them, or any other form of these actions that another chicken would use.


Just what I've noticed over the past few years. Hope it helps a bit.

 

[Sumatra503]

I have to disagree with this. The hens that I've dealt with who have been domineering have NEVER tested me once they knew I was boss. Chickens like order and feel more secure once they know their place. The birds I've dealt with never try to put me in their pecking order. They have there's among themselves, and then there's me who's in charge of everyone. Once the bird knows I'm boss the issue is over. I have NEVER had a juvenile, hen or rooster bite, flog, or jump at me, and the most I've let them test me is them trying to make themselves tall when I'm down working near them in the coop or when I'm handling them outside. One poke or even posturing of my hand and they lower themselves and walk away.

I don't need them to associate pecking me with feeling uncomfortable from a squirt bottle or being held in a weird position. That is way more training/work than speaking to them in their own language, and requires impeccable timing and be extremely consistent in order for that type of training to be effective. I'm a firm believer that the best way to prevent, and curb behavioral issues is to go to their level and tell them in a way they understand. They know I'm not a chicken, my cat knows I'm not a cat, my dogs know I'm not a dog, and my rabbits know I'm not a rabbit...but rather than force them to understand my language, I learn how to understand them by observing/researching their behavior amongst one another. Since I've been doing this I have never been bitten, scratched, pecked at, or acted towards aggressively by any animal I've come in contact with.

Just because you speak their language doesn't mean they think you're one of them. After all, I'm their Almighty bringer of food, treats, and freedom! Haha

Granted, I'm a huge animal behavior junkie and really enjoy training and researching all different species...so that's just the way I do things and I have never had a problem.

I have had a completely different experience with this, but each situation and experience will produce differing results.

Each time I correct bad behaviors with a peck, i get pecked. Every time I use a squirt bottle, I cease to get pecked. Just the way it seems to work for me.

I used to believe that my chickens would not treat me like chickens if I pecked at them and treated them like chickens treat eachother, but my Roo clucked at me, courted me, and tried to mate with me and my hens continued to test me in their pecking order by pecking at me.

I now maintain my dominance by un-chickenly methods and they seemed to get the point.

I, however, am not disagreeing with you as you are with me. I'm just stating my experience, not my opinion.

 

[hokankai]

"Never show agression or dominance toward any chicken that is showing dominance or aggression toward you. This only invites them to challenge you further. You don't want your hens to associate you as top chicken, it causes them to constantly test you and attempt to integrate you into their pecking order."

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]This is what I was disagreeing with. There are different ways of doing things, so like the saying goes, "Never say never."[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Like I said, individuals are different and one thing might not work for one as it does for another. For me, my rooster clucks and tries courting me (particularly when he was separated during QT) but that doesn't bother me. I just approach him and throw him off my petting him on the back or tossing scratch to get the attention off of me. My hens and rooster do not test me though. Being treated like a chicken doesn't mean they THINK you're a chicken. If anything you should be flattered, as it means they're attempting to communicate with you.[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]For me, when it comes to certain things I'd rather just avoid training since it's like working around a language barrier. But if you know what they're telling you and they know what you're telling them all you're doing is communicating and they get the picture without having to learn via association.[/FONT]

 

[chickened]

One thing I have learned with chickens in 30+ years is any training is more effective and less repetitious when you train a hungry bird rather than a full bird. Try it sometime.

 

[Sumatra503]

"Never show agression or dominance toward any chicken that is showing dominance or aggression toward you. This only invites them to challenge you further. You don't want your hens to associate you as top chicken, it causes them to constantly test you and attempt to integrate you into their pecking order."

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]This is what I was disagreeing with. There are different ways of doing things, so like the saying goes, "Never say never."[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Like I said, individuals are different and one thing might not work for one as it does for another. For me, my rooster clucks and tries courting me (particularly when he was separated during QT) but that doesn't bother me. I just approach him and throw him off my petting him on the back or tossing scratch to get the attention off of me. My hens and rooster do not test me though. Being treated like a chicken doesn't mean they THINK you're a chicken. If anything you should be flattered, as it means they're attempting to communicate with you.[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]For me, when it comes to certain things I'd rather just avoid training since it's like working around a language barrier. But if you know what they're telling you and they know what you're telling them all you're doing is communicating and they get the picture without having to learn via association[/FONT]

What you call "communication" I call training. Another form of training, but training none the less. When training we simply communicate with our animals by telling them what we expect of them. Whether it is teaching them that a peck means getting pecked or that a peck means getting squirted. Training is training, either way, whatever you choose to call it.

My chickens know what I expect of them. I also know what they expect of me. I expect that they don't peck at me, court me, or act agressive toward me. In return they expect that I let them be while they are setting on their eggs and all the other chicken quirks.

Also, I was in no way "Flattered" when my roo tried to breed me and dug his sharp beak into my bare legs. I also was not flattered when my dominant hen raised her hackles at me and pecked me so hard it drew blood.

I now nip these chicken "Flatteries" in the butt before they have a chance to turn into more agressive behaviors. A rooster courting me like i'm a hen gets squirted so that he learns I'm not a hen before he tries to breed me. a hen that pecks me or raises her hackles gets squirted so she learns I'm not a part of the pecking order and she won't ever try to peck at me.

Nowadays I run a youth program and have young children around my animals, so the ones who require "agression training/communication" are culled from my flock.