ferocious chicken (hen)

[youngstevie]

as per the title, I have kept chickens for a few years now, but on Friday I received 4 more from the battery welfare, and one is so ferocious its frightening, not only does she peck with meaning and draws blood, but all her neck feather spray out and she charges at me jumping off the floor with claws sprayed and she really gets me. She really screams too.
Today I have made her a pen of her own with one of the other rescues and she appears calmer almost safe.
She is laying and seems ok till you try to get the eggs when she flies at me in attack, although she is not sitting on the eggs as a broody hen would, she is strutting about eating and drinking. Have to say she displays behaviour of a cockeral.
Is there anything else I can do....thank you

 

[Lordcluck]

She certainly does sound Psychotic!! Aggressive females can be equally as Savage as any male, but as you allude to in your post, usually when directed at it's keeper it's hormone induced defence of a nest by a broody hen.
If she's showing no signs of broodiness, it sounds as though it's a personality disorder rather than a natural hormone induced behaviour. You may just have to work around her and her temper!! You could try Introducing her to a Dominant male, this may dampen her enthusiasm to attack, especially if he dominates her forcefully!

 

[youngstevie]

Thank you for your reply, I appreciate it.
No she is not broody but you made a good point regards a personality disorder, as I wondered this due to her being keep in the battery pens.
Im thinking of giving cuddles and soothing strokes although I may have to wear goggles and thick gloves.
Wondered if this may soothe her temper

 

[Marigold]

I'd send her back where she came from, or cull her - some people just don't appreciate their good luck!

 

[youngstevie]

LOL..........I told her that

 

[chrismahon]

We had an aggressive hen. Used to attack anything so I targeted her for picking up. Only had to mention her name and she scurried away leaving everyone alone. But she never calmed down entirely and she has now gone back to her original owner -glad to see the back of her. The others in the coop started laying immediately and all became happy and contented. So I would get rid now, if only for the sake of the others!

 

[foxy]

I would leave her be for the time being, I imagine her behaviour is due to being the dominant hen in her commercial environment, she is just trying to establish her previous hierarchy. Over the next couple of weeks she may calm down once she becomes used to her unfamiliar territory and a new pecking order has developed. Handling at this stage wouldn't be advisable due to the stress it will cause.

 

[VALBURNHAM]

I had an ex bat who nearly took my nose off several times when I picked her up. It only took a few weeks and she turned into the most affectionate hen I had ever had. Hopefully you can sort your little girl.

 

[Sue]

She's only been with you for 3-4 days and must be traumatised after everything she's been through. Give her a chance to settle in and settle down in a new place and a new flock. If things don't improve after a few months then decide what to do then, but I wouldn't make any decisions so early on.

 

[youngstevie]

Thank you All for your kind advice.

She seemed a little calmer in the separate pen I gave her with one of the other rescue hens, And tonight when I went to put her in the coop I picked her up armed with big gloves) facing away from me, she protested a little but her main annoyance was at the dog who was watching from outside the pen, so all her feathers displayed round her neck were at the dog LOL
She was much better to put away, so I will keep her with the other one separate for a while, they can see the other hens but there isn't any fighting through the wire.......I'll keep you posted and thank you xx

 

[Chuck]

Give her time. Big move. Big trauma. Big adjustment to make back to a more normal life. Some of the brown hybrids do occasionaly show some signs of being partially broody even though they don't sit, is sometimes manifested in aggressive behaviour.
My feeling is she will settle.

 

[youngstevie]

Thank you chuck, I have just managed to guide her out into the run with no major tantrum, feathers were displayed but at least she didn't attack me this morning :mrgreen:

 

[Aileen]

I had one exaclty like yours - Grumpy as the forum members know.
I seperated her for a few weeks, but within eyesight of the others, and gradually integrated her over a few days, she was so feisty she took a chunk from my dog... Grumpy quite literally was the rottweiler of chooks and as per Chris Mahon's advice everytime I saw her get aggressive I picked her up rather roughly and held her comb and gently pushed her head into a submissive sort of pose.
Anyways, I think part of the problem was she was fending off the others from the food so that may have been an issue historically maybe lots of food tubs everywhere so there's no shortages anywhere and hopefully she will calm down. Asserting myself as top chook really did work even if I did laf out loud when Mr M first posted it! :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[foxy]

Good point about having plenty of feeders and drinkers dotted around Aileen! 17

 

[youngstevie]

Today I took the wire fence down which has kept them separate she has been alot calmer although did have a go through the wire mesh when she spotted one of the dogs. The dogs are standing away from the pen so thats ok now.
I have 4 feeding bowls down and 4 drinking bowls she she can not guard all of them LOL

Seems a quieter afternoon