somebody please explain these attacks :(

[Cluckcluckeroo]

Hi all, im new to BYC and raising chickens myself for the first time. Last April my dad got me five chicks for easter and ive been raisin them since. They're all very sweet. I have 1 Dominique looking rooster, 1 Golden Pencil Hamburg girl, and 3 other girls that look like cornish or cornish mixed. I dont know the breed for sure.
One of the cornish ladies has become very aggressive. She will peck and pull at my pants and kick me, causing her to scratch me. And her neck feathers flare up as if shes about to fight me. Sometimes when im just walking normally, she'll just run up and attack me. And sometimes I walk too close to her. Ive researched why shes acting like this. Ive read that its possible that she may be a rooster or that she may be broody, but shes not laying eggs right now. Ive also read that picking her up, covering her eyes, holdin her upside down, using a herding stick, or even separating her from the flock works. Ive not used any of those methods yet but I have tried the herding stck.... and it didnt work
ive worn different types of pants and shoes but she still attacks, whereas the others just peck curiously then leave.
These attackss are frustrating. Am I perhaps at the bottom of the pecking order? Is she stressed?
Another thing. The chickens shy away from me when i try to pet them. They walk around me and all but wont let me hold em or pet them. How can I fix this?

Give me your thoughts please! I dont want my parents turning her (or it) into soup
Thanks in advance

 

[Kellyskritters]

I'd say she is probably a he. Are there any spurs on the feet?

 

[Cluckcluckeroo]

:/ Nope, I havent seen any. Unless theres a certain age when they grow them out?

I dont know im totally inexperienced lol

 

[LRH97]

If you have had them since last April, you should be able to tell the sex. Look at your roo and see if you see any similarities, for example: long, flowing hackle (neck) feathers, long saddle feathers, and of course long, curving, tail feathers and larger combs and wattles. If you don't see any of these you probably just have a very aggressive hen. There's only a few things you can do if she doesn't stop being so hostile. You can try to re-home her or you can simply put up with it. Call me old fashioned, but when I have an overly aggressive chicken (most of the time, roosters) they usually go to the pot.

As far as getting the chickens to let you hold them, try scattering their favorite treat on the ground and just kind of stand close to them and watch them eat. Eventually try to get them to eat out your hand, and just take baby steps from there. Hope I helped!

 

[Cluckcluckeroo]

Well she definitely doesnt look like my rooster (no hackle feathers, or long tail feathers,etc) so, as you said, she may just be aggressive. I guess ill try techniques ive researched online to stop aggression and if that doesnt work I guess ill have to make a soup outta her. And thanks on the tips for "befriending" the chickens
ill definitely take yalls advice.

Thaank you ^___^

 

[drumstick diva]

sorry you have to have a meanie so early in the game. Some breeds of chicken are more approachable than others. Some people carry a broom with them to push the meanie away or to block her/his attacks. Sometimes just seeing the broom is enough to discourage them. Have you ever seen this hen try to breed or do the rooster dance around a hen? Does she seem to be keeping you away from others in the flock. I'm guessing she has neither crowed nor laid any eggs.

I think I would either rehome her or invite her to dinner as the entrée.

 

[TwoCrows]

to BYC!

Sorry you are having so much trouble. I have a hen with the exact same attitude. She comes after me like a rooster. She started in like this at 3 months old. She used to be brutal with the other hens as well and I took to using pinless peepers on her. She was ripping their combs to where I was finding blood on everything. She bit me so hard it drew blood.



I didn't want to send her to the stew pot, as this being my first flock, my heart was too soft. LOL She wore these on and off for about 2 1/2 years, about 2 months, here, 2 months there. Eventually she got less aggressive with the other hens. Of course I tried all the moves of carrying her around the yard, flipping her over on her back, holding her down, but none of that worked. She is 3 years old now and she has piped down quite a bit. I haven't had to use the peepers on her since last spring. She still has an attitude, but I think she has figured out who is the boss around here. The peepers do not allow the bird to see directly in front of them. Only up, down or to the sides. So she can not aim and point her beak at anyone.

Flocks without roosters are prone to having a hen that takes the place of a roo. They can become pretty aggressive. So you either need to rehome the bird, send her to the stew pot, get a rooster, or do as I did here. And put up with her. LOL

Good luck and enjoy BYC!

 

[roostersandhens]

 

[liz9910]

I had a hen that acted just like that she would attack me every time I would turn my back on her it was awful. Personally I would get rid of that chicken.

 

[Kelsie2290]

Hello and Welcome To BYC! Good luck with the hen with the attitude, she does sound like a prime candidate for soup. You might want to post pics of her.