Semi aggressive? Head hen at 6 weeks

[The Coop Crew]

Thank you everyone! I will try and tame her down a bit for sure! If it doesn’t work I will unfortunately have to rehome her. Crossing my fingers these things will work

 

[SandyRiverChick]

When you "stick your hand in the coop" are you reaching in from over thier heads? I have put this to the test many times, chicks who wind up friendliest are because I did not use a top down brooder. Instead I am level with them using side doors for interaction and open room in my coop. This is the best article I've ever read on brooding and it's why I'm conscious of their fear of hands diving at them from above, resembling an attack of a predator from the sky.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...our-chicks-outdoors.71995/#ams-comment-413674

 

[SandyRiverChick]

Sorry but I don't agree here. At 6 weeks she just testing and I would try the suggested...I will agree that children should be kept away from her for now, but I would try to tame her down first. If the aggression doesn't change, then yes, re-home her.

Same. Re-homing a 6 week old is IMO over reacting. This will get worked out.

 

[wrathsfarm]

I'm gonna paint a scenario here... Anywhere between 2-8 weeks all the little ones are puffing up, play challenging each other (males and females) but in reality it's establishing for pecking order alignment. (Bobbijo...think of yourself as a young cockerel in this picture) But soon the cockerels start to begin showing dominance towards the pullets letting them know they are not part of the pecking order. To assert this dominance they will raise their hackles and give a swift peck to the pullets head. The girls act accordingly to fiercely avoid the boys because they have no clue that the boys are wanting to dominate/mate and oversee their girls.
(This is where the suggested tips come in)
Your establishing your dominance over the girls to rule the flock at this point. In return you become their rooster because you are their protector, you oversee the flock and you bring treats.

Everything a rooster does... When these girls go into POL (point of lay) you will notice when you reach down to pet their back, they will squat for you.

again, because you are their rooster....

 

[KimbosKluckers]

Enjoying all the tips here as I have a hen (RIR) 14 weeks old that is the same way. She has made me bleed. The others are more gentle. I peck her neck but she comes back for more. I may try to pin her down? A couple of the others (barred rocks) are sort of squatting for me. I wonder if she will get worse at laying age ?

 

[HollowOfWisps]

I personally would not rehome a 6 week old and I would not label this as aggression just yet. Kids, puppies, foals, lambs and pretty much every baby animal goes through a “mouthy” stage where they tend to nibble and bite things. Part of this is figuring out what things are/what’s edible and part of this is seeing what they can get away with. Yes, you need to nip it in the butt right away or it will escalate into aggression, but right now it’s just a baby being a baby. I have two draft horse that are both only 1 year olds right now. Up until a couple of months ago when I bought them they were not handled. At first they would try to nibble and bite quite a bit and I put a firm no to that. Occasionally they still try to test the waters, but it is again met with a calm yet firm action further enforcing that this is a negative behavior that I will not accept. Right now they are just big curious babies that need to learn how to maintain their space and respect. Now are they testing the waters to see what I will let them get away with? Absolutely they are! My job is to immediately correct them so they know that this is a negative behavior that I will not accept. Chicks at 6 weeks are toddlers essentially doing toddler things. Now I don’t know if you have ever raised a toddler, but they sure do bite hard and I don’t care what anyone says about their little angels they all go through somewhat of a biting stage. However, how long that biting stage continues for depends on how they are parented and it most certainly will continue if you let them. With animals your behavior needs to be calm, consistent and gently firm (increasing firmness if your initial correction is met with further negative behavior). Your “yes” behavior must always be “yes” and your “no” behavior must always be “no”. If you don’t want pecking there must never be allowed pecking you in any form and you must deal with it swiftly enough that they register that negative behavior=immediate enforcement of the desired result. For chickens i immediately peck them back not enough to knock them over, but firm enough that they know I mean business. If they do it again I take one hand on their back gently holding them down into a submission position and peck them again with my other hand 1-2 times then release them. I personally have not had to do that process more than a couple of times with hens.

 

[The Coop Crew]

When you "stick your hand in the coop" are you reaching in from over thier heads? I have put this to the test many times, chicks who wind up friendliest are because I did not use a top down brooder. Instead I am level with them using side doors for interaction and open room in my coop. This is the best article I've ever read on brooding and it's why I'm conscious of their fear of hands diving at them from above, resembling an attack of a predator from the sky.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...our-chicks-outdoors.71995/#ams-comment-413674

It is not from above. It is from the side. I sit down beside the coop and open the side door.

 

[The Coop Crew]

I personally would not rehome a 6 week old and I would not label this as aggression just yet. Kids, puppies, foals, lambs and pretty much every baby animal goes through a “mouthy” stage where they tend to nibble and bite things. Part of this is figuring out what things are/what’s edible and part of this is seeing what they can get away with. Yes, you need to nip it in the butt right away or it will escalate into aggression, but right now it’s just a baby being a baby. I have two draft horse that are both only 1 year olds right now. Up until a couple of months ago when I bought them they were not handled. At first they would try to nibble and bite quite a bit and I put a firm no to that. Occasionally they still try to test the waters, but it is again met with a calm yet firm action further enforcing that this is a negative behavior that I will not accept. Right now they are just big curious babies that need to learn how to maintain their space and respect. Now are they testing the waters to see what I will let them get away with? Absolutely they are! My job is to immediately correct them so they know that this is a negative behavior that I will not accept. Chicks at 6 weeks are toddlers essentially doing toddler things. Now I don’t know if you have ever raised a toddler, but they sure do bite hard and I don’t care what anyone says about their little angels they all go through somewhat of a biting stage. However, how long that biting stage continues for depends on how they are parented and it most certainly will continue if you let them. With animals your behavior needs to be calm, consistent and gently firm (increasing firmness if your initial correction is met with further negative behavior). Your “yes” behavior must always be “yes” and your “no” behavior must always be “no”. If you don’t want pecking there must never be allowed pecking you in any form and you must deal with it swiftly enough that they register that negative behavior=immediate enforcement of the desired result. For chickens i immediately peck them back not enough to knock them over, but firm enough that they know I mean business. If they do it again I take one hand on their back gently holding them down into a submission position and peck them again with my other hand 1-2 times then release them. I personally have not had to do that process more than a couple of times with hens.

Thank you for all of this information! Quick question though! How do you catch them to “peck” them back? Right now they’re in a small coop with a run underneath so I essentially don’t have full access. We are in the process of building a large fenced in area/run.

 

[The Coop Crew]

I'm gonna paint a scenario here... Anywhere between 2-8 weeks all the little ones are puffing up, play challenging each other (males and females) but in reality it's establishing for pecking order alignment. (Bobbijo...think of yourself as a young cockerel in this picture) But soon the cockerels start to begin showing dominance towards the pullets letting them know they are not part of the pecking order. To assert this dominance they will raise their hackles and give a swift peck to the pullets head. The girls act accordingly to fiercely avoid the boys because they have no clue that the boys are wanting to dominate/mate and oversee their girls.
(This is where the suggested tips come in)
Your establishing your dominance over the girls to rule the flock at this point. In return you become their rooster because you are their protector, you oversee the flock and you bring treats.

Everything a rooster does... When these girls go into POL (point of lay) you will notice when you reach down to pet their back, they will squat for you.

again, because you are their rooster....

Im definitely going to try my hardest to correct this behavior. We do love her so much and right now it doesn’t hurt hurt when she “bites” me but I know it has to be corrected.

 

[aart]

How do you catch them to “peck” them back?

You have to be fast!
Maybe get ready to strike back preemptively, when you go into her territory 'peck' her before she pecks you.