Thelma won't let anyone else get attention, can I correct this behavior?

[dbounds10]

My EE Thelma will come running over and peck the crud out of who ever I may be petting at the time. I reach down to a girl and she gives the squat so I scratch her back and here comes that mean ol' Themla and WHACK, right on the top of the head.

Today it mad me mad and startled me so when she did it, I "pecked" her back with the tips of my fingers. She was not happy about that and got all puffy. Is there a way to break this behavior?

I am pretty sure she is responsible for some nasty feather picking also. Here is what 2 of my other girls look like:

 

[wackyChris16]

You could try some Blu-Kote on the BR's butt; if she's picking on that certain spot and pulling out feathers, she might start drawing blood and that would be bad.
As for curing her behavior...personally, I'd eat Thelma. Hen's with behavioral issues are sometimes incurable. So either you can live with her, sell her, or eat her.
But you want to consider all possibilities, it's possible that she is mentally wacked out..it's possible she just is a extremely dominant hen. How old are your hens together? When did you notice Thelma's behavior? Has it been all her life? Or just recently? Are your hens really pullets? Have they started laying yet?

 

[Snack Giver]

I had success correcting my RIR's behavior against a smaller new bird, our leghorn. I followed them around and said "NO!" while reaching out and pressing down on her (think dog whisperer technique). It did work. They now get along better. I did this so much, I could simply open the window and yell "NO!" And she would stop, seriously. The pressing down, showing u are boss is the key. I learned that on here.

 

[dbounds10]

Bald butts and neck started about a month ago. I have been treating with Blu Kote and Wilma's butt now has some fuzz feathers coming back. The dive bombing who ever is getting attention just in the last week or so. They are all laying and have been since Aug of last year. They are just over 1 year old.

Guess I will have to live with it until it gets un-livable. I only had 6 and we lost one to a fox last week so I am down to 5. I cant eat her, so it if gets really bad will have to re-home i guess. Was hoping there was some "rooster" actions I could take to change her attitude.

 

[dbounds10]

I had success correcting my RIR's behavior against a smaller new bird, our leghorn. I followed them around and said "NO!" while reaching out and pressing down on her (think dog whisperer technique). It did work. They now get along better. I did this so much, I could simply open the window and yell "NO!" And she would stop, seriously. The pressing down, showing u are boss is the key. I learned that on here.

Good news! That is what I was trying to do when I "pecked" her but I guess I will switch to the NO and making her squat technique!

 

[wackyChris16]

Lol, that's awesome. ^^

I had success correcting my RIR's behavior against a smaller new bird, our leghorn. I followed them around and said "NO!" while reaching out and pressing down on her (think dog whisperer technique). It did work. They now get along better. I did this so much, I could simply open the window and yell "NO!" And she would stop, seriously. The pressing down, showing u are boss is the key. I learned that on here.

 

[mommabice]

I had one of my girls (they are only seven weeks old...so still new babies) peck at me all the time...like I was in the pecking order or something. I thought she was curious for about a week, then realized that she was doing it to be mean. I "pecked" her back with my finger too.

She has not pecked at me for about a week now and does not fly at me anymore.

You show that hen whose the boss!

 

[fiddlebanshee]

Quote:
This is what I do too. I have one jealous hen that is not head of the pecking order even but can't tolerate that anyone is getting more attention from me than she is. She is also continuously making this complaining sound (at least tha't's what it sounds like to me. lol).

She drew blood from my hand one time and that's when I started doing the "push-down make squat" technique. Now she will come running but stops short a couple of inches, all the while loudly complaining. She occasionally will jump on the bird being petted but I'm working on curbing that behavior too. I saw one of the other girls who must be higher in the pecking order than she is give her a good peck when the complaining noise became very loud. It stopped for about 1 minute. I'm hoping the other hens will get tired of her and do the correcting for me, since she's not at the top of the pecking order, but I'm also very willing to "change her destiny" if she doesn't repair her ways.

 

[Knittycat]

You can try separating her from the flock for a week or so. When you put her back in, she'll have lost her place in the pecking order and will probably calm down a bit.