What do you do with a crabby chicken?

[gypsymom]

I have heard that Easter Eggers are sweet, docile birds, but somehow I got the one that isn't. Annabelle has always been aggressive and standoffish. She makes a habit of challenging the others by flying at them and does not like being touched. She regards offers of food with suspicion and attacked our younger chicks when introduced. She is only 10 weeks old and I am worried she will become a bigger trouble-maker as she gets older. What should I do with her?

 

[horsejody]

Do you have a rooster? Roosters take care of such squabbles and keep the peace.

 

[sfw2]

Chicken soup.

Seriously, though, she may calm down a bit as she matures.

 

[fancbrd4me02]

I have also read a lot of posts about "sweet" EE and I have been wondering where they find these sweet birds. None of my EE's have ever been sweet. I never mix juvenile birds that are not the same age with my EE's for that reason. They seem to have a wild streak that makes them go after any weakness. I keep them because they are a tough healthy type of bird that gives me a long productive life and by the time they are mature & integrate into the flock the Roo's keep them in check. My advice is to just be careful to seperate them from other juveniles if they are being to agressive while they are growing.

 

[Amethyste]

Maybe I am just lucky....I have never had a truly mean EE before. Mercedes is our head hen and she is tough but fair. She doesnt go nuts on them. She will peck at them and put them in their place, but not being mean by any sense of the word. She is friendly towards me and respectful. Esther, is an amazing broody hen who is just a lovebucket of a bird. She often sits in my lap or on my shoulder and preens my hair.

Our other two past EE were a little flighty but not mean by any means...they were very mellow. We have 2 young EE pullets atm, and they are standoffish. Not mean by any means but just shy and flighty. They will not come up to me at all to say hello....the one will take food from me finally but the other just hides from me in the house.

Its strange tho...they were all handled and cuddled the same, guess it must just be the personality of the individiual creature.

 

[gypsymom]

I guess I will just have to accept that my EE has a different nature than my other nice birds, 1 BO, 1 WS, 1 GLW, 1 SLW and 2 little BAs. We were beginning to wonder if she was a rooster. I hope she does mellow out. Roosters aren't an option since we are in the city; the soup pot isn't an option either since my kids are vegetarians and would disown me. I will put my BA chicks outdoors in the coop during the day while the older birds roam, then take them in when it is bedtime. They can all get acquainted through the wire. I think Jane, my BO, would like to mother them.

 

[chookchick]

Your pullet is only 10 weeks old!!
Seriously, give her time to grow up. Many of them go through a "wild phase" when they are young, and turn into perfectly nice chickens. I can't believe some would actually consider culling her at such a young age! Don't evaluate her personality until she has been laying for a while and is really mature. All chickens hate new introductions...

 

[Country Heart]

Quote:
Sounds like great advice to me.

 

[Hollywood Chickens]

Quote:
Don't worry about her all of my EEs acted like that until they started laying

 

[mstricer]

My EE's were like that at that age, None at 24 wks are the sweetest, even Storm (Cockerel) is sweet and wants to be picked up by me (But then again I did save his live when 2 older cockerels chased him in a yew and plummed him till he was shaking) now I'm his protector I guess. Give them time they are great.