Hello --- I bought 6 Isa Brown chicks in early June, and successfully integrated them with my 3 RIR hens back in September (it was a little touch and go for a few days, but they all get along just fine now). Since they are just about 6 months old, it's about time for the hormones to kick in and to begin laying. Well, sure enough, yesterday when I went out to take care of them and gather the eggs from the RIR's, one of the new Isa Browns was sitting on the 3 RIR eggs (I'm sure they all came from the RIR's, I've been getting 3 a day for the past couple of months, very regular layers). Wow, this was one defensive chicken -- she was NOT going to let me get those eggs, no way, no how. I finally had to protect my hands with my sleeves and kind of "shoo, shoo" and physically push her from the box and shut the door to keep her out so I could gather the eggs. I just thought it was funny. I guess it might mean she would be a very good mother, except that I don't have and don't want roosters (I'm in the 'burbs, roosters would be too noisy), so she won't have the opportunity unless I slip some duck eggs under her or something. Now today, it was later in the day when I gathered eggs, and she was outside with the rest of the flock, so I didn't have this response. Does anyone else have an uber-defensive chicken like this?
One of my production reds will growl and even peck at me when she is in the nest box.The other nine are perfectly fine with me slipping my hand under them and checking for eggs.The problem is that they all look pretty much the same and I never know if it's her in the box or one of her sisters until she starts growling.
