My chickens go nuts for canned corn. I like to take like an hour to sit with them and feed it kernel by kernel, saying each birds name to them as I feed them. There are still a few who look like clones, so I can't name them yet until they become a bit more unique. There's only one bird, who's a little skittish yet, that won't feed by hand, it's one of my three Americanas. The rest will accurately eat a kernel held between the thumb and first finger, except for one of the clones. She will peck my hand even if there's nothing in it. Today she took a chunk out of the back of my hand that wasn't even being used to feed them. Skin missing, and blood drawn. There are times when I think swearing should be appropriate on this forum. This is one of those times. Yes, I washed it.
Hence the reason I never hand feed, I scatter treats on the ground, otherwise as you have seen its like playing with vipers.
Well, if it happens again, this bird may get it's head slapped off, and end up alongside some dumplings. It's only this one that gets so out of hand.
I have a few who will do this for treats, especially my gang of oldest, original chickens I first got when I was younger and first "falling in love" with chickens. They are used to me being master treat lady and seem to think I am some sort of food dispenser that does not feel pain most of the time. She probably was not trying to be mean, but was trying to hurry up and be the first one to grab the treat from your hand before anyone else because she is flighty. She probably is a little afraid of you, so she wanted to grab the food fast and get it over with. She knew feed came out of the tentacle things that come out of the ends of your arms, so she would peck it to make the food come out. See what I am trying to say? I did not see what she did, but it sounds like she just wanted to food first so no one would fight her for it.
Ouch!! My white rock gets this way too. She's the only one out of five that I have to watch. I've been lucky though, she's never drawn blood like that! And I've got to say, after seeing your hand, I'm gonna be even more careful!
I usually don't wear shorts (as compared to pants) but this summer I wore them for awhile, and not to my surprise my legs got all kinds of bangs, and sores and stuff. I was sitting in the coop feeding treats, and I think the same one eyed a scab on my leg, and plucked it off in a flash of a second. Being on an aspirin regime, I bleed easily. Needless to say I was leaking pretty badly and had to excuse myself. I can't remember if there was a scab on that hand, but there will be now.
Yeah, they like to peck things, especially things that look fleshy since they are omnivores. She sounds very food motivated.
