What to do about hen attacking me.

[savingdogs]

I'm with Beekissed here...no treats for bad animals!

I had a hen that started getting mean I think BECAUSE I was handfeeding treats. I stopped with her and the behavior improved.

I don't think giving any animal who misbehaves a treat is a good choice. Bad behavior should garner no treats, only good behavior gets rewarded if you want to encourage good behavior in animals. Just seems like common sense after working with all the other animals I have.

Chickens very much care about status.....how do you think we all came up with that term "pecking order"? Chickens showed us all what being status conscious is all about. Not being allowed to eat or eat first lowers her status.

Yup, I'm with Beekissed.

 

[CubRed]

cutting off treats and such nonsense doesn't teach the chicken anything as to status...only satisfies the human...

everytime you go into the pen/coop...YOUR the boss...whatever it takes to get the point across...stick, waterhose...whatever it takes...

can't soon break the aggression...cull it...

 

[D'Angelo N Va.]

Quote:
I totally agree with you..that's why I said freezer camp if it didn't work. they obviously want to avoid culling the hen. I have had roosters that once my back was turned jumped on me, I kicked the crap out of it. a few days later it did it again..that weekend it made it to my freezer. I have no problem with culling, but they don't want to go that route first.

 

[Beekissed]

Precisely...I've never had to cull for aggression towards humans. I train, not cull. Training at my house does not include treats. Actually, treats are never a good way to train anything....good behaviour, positive reinforcement. Bad behaviour, negative reinforcement.

I've never had to deal with a nasty hen...guess that is because I've always had a roo. Sounds like this hen has placed herself as flock leader and needs to have that notion removed from her little henny brain.

I can't even wrap my mind around letting a chicken dictate behaviour in the yard....nor any animal, for that matter. You don't have to kill a bird to change its mind real quick and in a hurry!

 

[crj]

Oh, no no no, you are the boss. You don't let a chicken attack you under and circumstances.

If she goes to attack you you grab at her first or show aggression towards her. If you show her you won't tolerate this behavior she will eventually stop. That goes for any animal.

We love our animals and would never hurt them. My husband went in to one of the chicken pens the other day and the rooster went after him.

My husband gave him a swift kick

and that rooster wouldn't come out from under his pen for a long time. He stayed with his hens.

When I go in there I pick up chickens and pet the rooster. I'll even pick him up once in a while.

I have never been bossed around by any chicken in the pen. So, you might want to handle this hen. It's easier early in the morning or in the evening when they are on the roost. Don't put the chicken down until they are calm.

Oh yes, one other thing. It's best to pet a chicken on it's breast and under it's beak and neck rather then it's back. I believe the chicken gets frightened since a rooster is always jumping on her back. Petting from the front of the bird seems to be more calming. Just something that I've noticed.

 

[cassie]

Crockpot!!!

 

[rainbowgardens]

Good advice everyone.
I started heading her off in the morning when she came for me. I followed her around everywhere she went to make her feel I was chasing her. when I sat down and she came near, I kicked toward her and she put distance between us.
I guess it's better to have an egg-layer who fears me than have one less chicken giving me eggs. My chickens aren't pets. I love having chickens, but I don't love individual chickens.
I was just surprised by her behavior because this has never happened before.
Thanks everyone!