What makes a chicken start biting people?

[susanah]

Our little bantam cochin who is almost 2 started biting a while ago. It was normally when she was picked up, which wasn't often, so I just assumed she didn't like to be held and that was her defense. Now she has started biting my daughter's feet when she comes into their run. And today my daughter was sitting on the patio holding our rooster while the chickens free ranged and the little bugger came up and bit her on the foot while she was sitting there? Looking for a new home for her since she scares my daughter, but does anyone know why she would do this? She is right in the middle of the pecking order. Our tiny bantams fly up to a high roost at night, but she used to sleep on a roost with a rooster and a large hen and another cochin, but they kicked her off there a few months ago and she now sleeps in a nesting box, so I guess they don't like her either.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Don't take this wrong but:..... She likely thinks that you are lower in the pecking order than she is, or it could be that she is trying to recapture the place in the pecking order that she lost.