kokotg Posted December 9, 2010 Share Posted December 9, 2010 Answers that don't involve cooking her and eating her, please :) We had to sell one of our pullets a couple of months ago because she was being so mean to the kids...running at them and pecking them, sometimes hard enough to draw blood. Now we have another one! She's an Easter Egger; we've had her for a few months now, and she's maybe 8 months old. But the meanness just started in the past couple of weeks. It's only with the kids...she chases them and pecks them--hard. I almost didn't believe them at first, because she doesn't do anything like it with me. But I've gone out there with them a few times now to observe, and, yep, she's being nasty. I'd rather not get rid of her, too (although I'm sure I can, no problem--she's young, and she's a decent layer). Is there any hope of reforming her? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairfarmhand Posted December 9, 2010 Share Posted December 9, 2010 we've never had much luck reforming meanies permanently...but try sending your kids out there with a BIG stick. The hen does this because she's figured out that she can "boss" those kids. They need to remind her that THEY ARE HIGHER ON THE PECKING ORDER THAN SHE IS. This will take repeated reminders. The problem with this approach is that my dd was so terrified of the stupid chicken that she could not approach it to give it a good whack. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LibraryLover Posted December 9, 2010 Share Posted December 9, 2010 How is she mean? Sometimes they know/hope you have treats, so they peck at your feet/ankles in anticipation. Roos are often more aggressive, but they can be stymied with a handful of grain or flour...they are rather freaked out by flour...lol At any rate, having something to toss when you approach can help. My dd has a few who will come up to her looking like eager puppies. Chickens do have their own personalities. Not all act like pets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zaichiki Posted December 9, 2010 Share Posted December 9, 2010 we've never had much luck reforming meanies permanently...but try sending your kids out there with a BIG stick. The hen does this because she's figured out that she can "boss" those kids. They need to remind her that THEY ARE HIGHER ON THE PECKING ORDER THAN SHE IS. This will take repeated reminders. Yep: the big stick. We use a rake in these situations. Honestly, though, with littles it's just easier to get rid of the animal. Kids shouldn't have to be afraid in their own yard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kokotg Posted December 9, 2010 Author Share Posted December 9, 2010 How is she mean? Sometimes they know/hope you have treats, so they peck at your feet/ankles in anticipation. Roos are often more aggressive, but they can be stymied with a handful of grain or flour...they are rather freaked out by flour...lol At any rate, having something to toss when you approach can help. My dd has a few who will come up to her looking like eager puppies. Chickens do have their own personalities. Not all act like pets. No, this isn't curious/anticipatory pecking--that's why I went out there to watch her with them--she runs straight at them and pecks them hard in the leg, then chases after them if they run away. I think she at the bottom of the flock (she was a sort of rescue chicken, so she came all by herself into an established flock), so she's jockeying for position with the smallest non-birds she can find. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kokotg Posted December 9, 2010 Author Share Posted December 9, 2010 Yep: the big stick. We use a rake in these situations. Honestly, though, with littles it's just easier to get rid of the animal. Kids shouldn't have to be afraid in their own yard. yeah, I know--sigh. I was glad to see the other one go, but I actually like this one a lot, or I did until this started up. big stick. and/or food bribes. We'll see what we can do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katilac Posted December 9, 2010 Share Posted December 9, 2010 Just face it: chickens are evil. You can see it in their beady little eyes. They may hide it for a while, but their true nature eventually reveals itself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beaners Posted December 9, 2010 Share Posted December 9, 2010 It may seem silly, but aggressive poultry and small children can be a dangerous combination. I would not hesitate to get rid of any of our birds if I thought they were going after my children. So that's probably what I'd do with this bird. After that I'd make a point of showing the children how to act around the birds to hopefully prevent any new issues, but that's no guarantee either. Life is just too short to deal with aggressive animals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ondreeuh Posted December 9, 2010 Share Posted December 9, 2010 How is she mean? Sometimes they know/hope you have treats, so they peck at your feet/ankles in anticipation. Roos are often more aggressive, but they can be stymied with a handful of grain or flour...they are rather freaked out by flour...lol At any rate, having something to toss when you approach can help. My dd has a few who will come up to her looking like eager puppies. Chickens do have their own personalities. Not all act like pets. I have one that pecks at me constantly until I sit down and put her in my lap. Then she's totally content. She thinks she's a lap chicken. :tongue_smilie: Are your chickens enclosed in a run? We have access to the next box from the outside of the coop and "automatic" feeders & waterers (feed in a gravity-fed feeder that holds several days' worth, and water in a bucket with poultry nipples) so the kids never need to go in there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kokotg Posted December 9, 2010 Author Share Posted December 9, 2010 Are your chickens enclosed in a run? We have access to the next box from the outside of the coop and "automatic" feeders & waterers (feed in a gravity-fed feeder that holds several days' worth, and water in a bucket with poultry nipples) so the kids never need to go in there. They're in a run at night, but they have free range in the fenced backyard for most of the day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ValRN Posted December 9, 2010 Share Posted December 9, 2010 speaking of chickens (or the like), I got attacked and held hostage by a rooster a couple of weeks ago. I was terrified so I can imagine how your children feel. I make home health visits and the patient wasn't home. As I walked back to my van, a rooster jumped on me with his claws (is that what they are called?) and pecked me. He kept jumping on me and pecking me. There was a mud pit between my van and the patient's porch which I thought I might slip into if I ran, so I chose to run back to the porch. The rooster kept trying to get on the porch. I stood there and kicked and screamed and waved the only thing I had in my hand (a folder). He walked back and forth around the porch and cockadoodledooed while I stood there and cried for what seemed like forever (in reality, it was probably only 5 minutes). I was so afraid that I ended up calling the police station to have them assist me. Before they arrived, the patient and family arrived and rescued me. The patient said that the rooster has been doing that for a while and has gotten progressively worse. I don't know ANYTHING about chickens or roosters; however, I assume if you don't get it under control now, it will get worse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zaichiki Posted December 9, 2010 Share Posted December 9, 2010 water in a bucket with poultry nipples. How does that work in the winter? Do you need to use a heated bucket? Does the water freeze in the connector, though? What do you all use for winter water solutions? Right now we're just using buckets b/c the gallon plastic waterers freeze solid. (We found out the hard way that chipping away at the ice also breaks the plastic. :glare:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammyla Posted December 9, 2010 Share Posted December 9, 2010 Take a fly-swatter and swoosh it at her. My sil's mil, used to use one or a stick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kokotg Posted December 9, 2010 Author Share Posted December 9, 2010 Oh no, Val--that sounds awful! Roosters have spurs, and hens don't, so a mean hen can't cause nearly as much damage as a mean rooster...but it's still no fun to be pecked. The kids were very excited about the stick idea. They're out there with her now. I told them no hitting her, only using it to keep her away, and it's a really thin stick. No one's come in crying yet... In somewhat related news, I just found 18 eggs in a pile in the kids' old little tikes playhouse. oops. That explains why we've been finding so few eggs in the nesting boxes recently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted December 9, 2010 Share Posted December 9, 2010 speaking of chickens (or the like), I got attacked and held hostage by a rooster a couple of weeks ago. A mean rooster can do a lot of damage -- no wonder you were scared! Cat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted December 9, 2010 Share Posted December 9, 2010 Just face it: chickens are evil. You can see it in their beady little eyes. They may hide it for a while, but their true nature eventually reveals itself. :lol::lol::lol: That just cracked me up! (And I'm not even anti-chicken! ;)) Cat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairfarmhand Posted December 9, 2010 Share Posted December 9, 2010 Oh no, Val--that sounds awful! Roosters have spurs, and hens don't, so a mean hen can't cause nearly as much damage as a mean rooster...but it's still no fun to be pecked. The kids were very excited about the stick idea. They're out there with her now. I told them no hitting her, only using it to keep her away, and it's a really thin stick. No one's come in crying yet... In somewhat related news, I just found 18 eggs in a pile in the kids' old little tikes playhouse. oops. That explains why we've been finding so few eggs in the nesting boxes recently. we find these stashes occaisionally in our hay barn. The kids will come in with a whole bucket full. I;ve found that if I keep my hens in till 1-2 in the afternoon it is not an egg hunt! are these the green eggs that the easter egger will leave? My easter egggers are about 8 months old and just beginning to lay full size green eggs. They are fascinating! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie in CA Posted December 9, 2010 Share Posted December 9, 2010 The kids were very excited about the stick idea. They're out there with her now. I told them no hitting her, only using it to keep her away, and it's a really thin stick. I'll be the meanie and say it: They will probably need to do more than just wave the stick at her a few times in order to get a permanent result. Maybe get your gentlest kid to give her a gentle whack or two every time she gets close for a while. In order for it to stop, she needs to be fully convinced that your dc are scary and slightly dangerous. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kokotg Posted December 9, 2010 Author Share Posted December 9, 2010 I'll be the meanie and say it: They will probably need to do more than just wave the stick at her a few times in order to get a permanent result. Maybe get your gentlest kid to give her a gentle whack or two every time she gets close for a while. In order for it to stop, she needs to be fully convinced that your dc are scary and slightly dangerous. ;) I'm not sure I have a gentlest kid! :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kokotg Posted December 9, 2010 Author Share Posted December 9, 2010 are these the green eggs that the easter egger will leave? My easter egggers are about 8 months old and just beginning to lay full size green eggs. They are fascinating! There were 17 green eggs (we have two easter eggers) and 1 brown. It's funny that both easter eggers decided they needed to find a new place to nest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ondreeuh Posted December 9, 2010 Share Posted December 9, 2010 How does that work in the winter? Do you need to use a heated bucket? Does the water freeze in the connector, though? What do you all use for winter water solutions? Right now we're just using buckets b/c the gallon plastic waterers freeze solid. (We found out the hard way that chipping away at the ice also breaks the plastic. :glare:) This is our first winter with chickens and we've only had a few days below freezing. We just went out a few times and poured hot water in the bucket and made sure the nipples worked. We don't have it hooked up to a water source, but if we did that would probably be OK because we have a water pump that circulates warm water through our plumbing. If we have a big cold spell I will probably just switch to a pan of water on one of those heated dish thingies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KatieH Posted December 9, 2010 Share Posted December 9, 2010 I agree that she needs to learn she's not the boss. A few good kicks or whacks with a heavy stick should sort her out. Although, I have to add- culling is a part of owning chickens. I understand the hesitancy people have, but eventually you're going to need to do it (for serious illnesses or injuries, or a roo that's too dangerous to rehome). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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