I have this EE hen that is the lowest of the pecking order....BAD! She kinda stays to herself. If I happen to open the door of the coop & she happens to be in there, she takes off running out real fast clucking loudly (drawing more attention to herself). Then, the roosters go after her having their way with her & even one mean hen gets HER turn with her!
Well, there's some teenagers (almost 21 weeks old) now that she hangs around a lot, but still stays to herself some & she's head hen with them when she's around them since she's older than them I guess.There's also some almost 11-week olds that I've seen her peck on a few times (maybe makes her feel a little in authority since she's lowest in the pecking order with the older ones).
Anyway, since she's least in the pecking order, she doesn't get to choose where she wants on the roost. So, she sometimes sleeps on the floor & sometimes in the nest box.
Well, I've started blocking off the nest box in the evenings, but yesterday afternoon she was in there before I got to it. So, I got her out & held her awhile, talking to her, petting her. Then, I put her up on the roost.
Well, today she was doing her deal being by herself sitting between the house & the heat pump. When she got out from there, walking around cautiously, neck way up tall like being alert so she'll know if anyone's gonna come bother her, clucking & clucking.
Then, she actually came over there where I was sitting at the picnic table & got up on top of it close to me, looking at me. Well, I was so surprised! I turned around & looked at her & started talking to her & real fast before I could even think....she PECKED ME RIGHT IN THE EYE!!!! It hurt really BAD! Thank goodness she only got my eyelid!
My DH came over there & saw about me & scolded her.
After that, every time she saw me sitting at the picnic table, she would come back over there (by now I had some sunglasses on to protect my eyes
) but she did peck my arm a time or two (luckily had on long sleeves). I got her & held her a while, petting her, talking to her. She made a few noises, sort of a quieter version of the sound she makes when she's getting picked on by the others, but she didn't try to fly away or anything; she stayed in my lap.
Later, she ate out of my hand & everything! This is VERY unusual for this hen! She is a hen that normally won't let me close to her, much less touch her! I usually can't even give her any treats because she won't even come for them (afraid of the others, I guess). I have to throw them in her direction & hope that she gets it before the other hens run & get it.
She is molting, or at least I think she is. She is growing back some feathers on her neck & back & not laying right now (did lay 5-6 green eggs a week) Could the molting be the cause of her behavior?
What is up with her?! I just don't know what to think of this! Did me getting her out of the nest box & talking to her & petting her make her gain some trust in me or something & then her pecking me was her letting me know she's the boss of me or what? Does she think I'm another hen? Is she blaming me for her low pecking order status & getting back at me? Is she trying to have trust in me but testing her limits or leery of me or what? What would cause a low pecking order hen to behave like this?
I'm looking forward to seeing how she's gonna act tomorrow (but lesson learned....I WILL be wearing sunglasses!!
)
ETA: Sorry so long.


Well, there's some teenagers (almost 21 weeks old) now that she hangs around a lot, but still stays to herself some & she's head hen with them when she's around them since she's older than them I guess.There's also some almost 11-week olds that I've seen her peck on a few times (maybe makes her feel a little in authority since she's lowest in the pecking order with the older ones).
Anyway, since she's least in the pecking order, she doesn't get to choose where she wants on the roost. So, she sometimes sleeps on the floor & sometimes in the nest box.
Well, I've started blocking off the nest box in the evenings, but yesterday afternoon she was in there before I got to it. So, I got her out & held her awhile, talking to her, petting her. Then, I put her up on the roost.
Well, today she was doing her deal being by herself sitting between the house & the heat pump. When she got out from there, walking around cautiously, neck way up tall like being alert so she'll know if anyone's gonna come bother her, clucking & clucking.
Then, she actually came over there where I was sitting at the picnic table & got up on top of it close to me, looking at me. Well, I was so surprised! I turned around & looked at her & started talking to her & real fast before I could even think....she PECKED ME RIGHT IN THE EYE!!!! It hurt really BAD! Thank goodness she only got my eyelid!
My DH came over there & saw about me & scolded her.
After that, every time she saw me sitting at the picnic table, she would come back over there (by now I had some sunglasses on to protect my eyes

Later, she ate out of my hand & everything! This is VERY unusual for this hen! She is a hen that normally won't let me close to her, much less touch her! I usually can't even give her any treats because she won't even come for them (afraid of the others, I guess). I have to throw them in her direction & hope that she gets it before the other hens run & get it.
She is molting, or at least I think she is. She is growing back some feathers on her neck & back & not laying right now (did lay 5-6 green eggs a week) Could the molting be the cause of her behavior?
What is up with her?! I just don't know what to think of this! Did me getting her out of the nest box & talking to her & petting her make her gain some trust in me or something & then her pecking me was her letting me know she's the boss of me or what? Does she think I'm another hen? Is she blaming me for her low pecking order status & getting back at me? Is she trying to have trust in me but testing her limits or leery of me or what? What would cause a low pecking order hen to behave like this?
I'm looking forward to seeing how she's gonna act tomorrow (but lesson learned....I WILL be wearing sunglasses!!

ETA: Sorry so long.
Last edited: