tips for helping a chicken who is always pissed off???

[Ridgerunner]

I want to try and find a way to get on better terms with her.

First, each chicken is an individual. You do not get guarantees regarding living animals. We can tell you what we typically see or what we would expect to happen but we cannot guarantee it will happen with your individual hen.

Before a pullet or hen starts laying she builds up excess fat, especially in her pelvic region. This fat is mostly what she lives off of while she is broody. That way she can stay on the nest taking care of the eggs instead of needing to be off looking for food and water. They will usually eat and drink (and poop) while off of the nest but they do not need to eat or drink much. Since they are using up fat stored for that purpose they will lose weight. When they use up that fat they usually break from being broody. Mother nature set it up that way so they would not go extinct if her eggs don't hatch. Is it possible one will starve herself to death? They are living animals so anything is possible, but that is extremely unlikely.

Someone mentioned a loss of condition. Before they start laying again they need to replace that used fat so the more fat they use the longer it will be before she starts laying again after breaking form being broody. You can consider that a loss of condition, but that has to do with egg laying, not health.

A broody can be disruptive in the henhouse. Most of mine are not but they can be. You can put up with it if you want, it is highly likely she will break when her excess fat runs out. Or if you want peace now, I suggest breaking her. I use an elevated wire-bottomed cage so air can get under her and cool her. Give her food and water but nothing like a nest. Leave her in for 72 hours and let her go. If she goes back in her old nest put her back in for a couple more days. Most of mine break in 72 hours but I once had one that had to go through it 3 times before breaking. Each one is an individual.

Good luck!

 

[JPadronMiami]

I notice the habit onsets in early summer when the days are longer, got them 2 days old, are now going on 5 years and are still producing.

 

[JPadronMiami]

my hens are hand raised in a brooder in the house, there's always plenty of people and grandchildren that handle them and cuddle them until they are in full feather and then go out to the runs and henhouse, by then they are fully acclimated to people, very friendly. some of my EE's jump up on my head and shoulders when I walk into their runs, was cute when they were chicks or pullets, but not so much now.....those claws!....ouch!

 

[maeklucky]

on my flock, my process, tends to shorten that broodiness phase, i tried locking them up in kennels inside the henhouse, and I tried dipping them in cool water, it may take a little longer too work but how I do it but soon enuf they get the idea, on a separate question, what method do you use to clean your eggs? rinse under faucet in warm water, or submerge the eggs in a bucket with warm water for 10 minutes.have 62 chickens so i pick up a decent amount of eggsView attachment 4117862 View attachment 4117858

i use a bit of egg cleanser in a tub full of warm water mostly

 

[maeklucky]

If her attitude or behavior is constant and creating contention in the flock, and making your chickening experience unpleasant, I'd consider rehoming her. The other option is eating her. She may do better with an owner that has a different style of management, or roll away nest boxes or something.

You can try feeding her treats, but that may or may not work. Those broody hormones are the same ones she feels when she lays eggs (to a lesser extent). Makes her aggressive to people trying to take my eggs. I only have one hen out of 20 like this, I just wait for her to leave the nest box before I collect her eggs. There's really not a way to change that that I know of

luckily she don't disturb the other hens much on the contrary they tend to lay their eggs in her coop to have her guard them. I have no plans of rehoming her though. She's been through a lot. A large number of our previous hens from her litter passed due to respiratory issues before we could fix the problem and she had made a habit of "protecting" the sick hens from us humans before they passed. I know she's just a chicken but I'd do anything for that bird. Imma try ta break her of her brooding I suppose. Just keep trying at it.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

i use a bit of egg cleanser in a tub full of warm water mostly

What egg cleanser do you use, and where do you get it? (Does this mean I’m headed back to Tractor Supply? )

 

[JPadronMiami]

I use this product only when necessary, otherwise i use lukewarm tap water and rub the eggs with a white dishcloth designated strictly for washing the eggs under the running water, usually ok for me and all color eggs even the white eggs. if you keep the hens dewormed and the nest boxes clean with fresh straw or nesting material quick rinse lukewarm water would be fine, then refrigerate. Hope this helps!

 

[JPadronMiami]

View attachment 4139969View attachment 4139970
I use this product only when necessary, otherwise i use lukewarm tap water and rub the eggs with a white dishcloth designated strictly for washing the eggs under the running water, usually ok for me and all color eggs even the white eggs. if you keep the hens dewormed and the nest boxes clean with fresh straw or nesting material quick rinse lukewarm water would be fine, then refrigerate. Hope this helps!

 

[Mother of Chaos]

View attachment 4139969View attachment 4139970
I use this product only when necessary, otherwise i use lukewarm tap water and rub the eggs with a white dishcloth designated strictly for washing the eggs under the running water, usually ok for me and all color eggs even the white eggs. if you keep the hens dewormed and the nest boxes clean with fresh straw or nesting material quick rinse lukewarm water would be fine, then refrigerate. Hope this helps!

Thank you! And sure enough, I’m off to Tractor Supply.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Agreed, do not soak eggs in a bucket of anything. Wash or rinse under running water only. I set mine on a towel to air dry before putting in cartons. Once they are washed they must be refrigerated.

As to your grumpy hen, this does not sound like broody behavior to me. It has gone on so long it sounds rather like a learned behavior. It can be unlearned but it will take time and effort, and it will get worse before it gets better. She has learned that if she pecks at people they will flinch and back off. So you must prepare yourself. If you protect your arm with a sleeve and try not to flinch, she will only peck harder because that has always worked for her before. So prepare yourself with some good welding gloves. The ones with leather gauntlets that come up almost to your elbows. Then no matter how hard she pecks, she can't hurt you.

Wear the glove on your left hand if you are right-handed. Use that hand to reach under her and gently lift her up a little. She should go nuts pecking at your arm. Let her. Use your right hand to reach under her, blocking her with your left arm, and remove any eggs from under her. Lift her as high as you need to, to clean out the nest. Gently put her down when you are done. Do this every day, at least once a day.

It will take some time, but I believe she will eventually come to realize she can't hurt you and she can't stop you, and she should stop being such a jerk. She may still protest, but she should stop pecking.

Edit, typo.