SOS! What's wrong with Violet?

It does sound like attention seeking, hopefully she will calm down as she gets a bit older. Sturdy clothing or suit of armour would help.She does sound a character though
 
I've got on better today, by watching out for her and doing a sort of side-swipe to knock her off balance when I see she's about to jump up. I think LadyA's idea, that perhaps she's low in the pecking order and trying to get one up on me, may probably be the case. Yes, BYM, she's a real character. I get the feeling that there's actually a reincarnated person in there, trying to get out and explain how she came to be in this strange situation!
 
I've just arranged to rehome Violet. A friend of mine who is an experienced poultrykeeper, with plenty of space and in need of some new hens at the moment as he's down to 3, has kindly said he'll take her on. I've also offered him one of the other three hybrids, so she will have somebody as a known companion when she meets the new flock. I've been getting fed up with having to be so watchful whenever I go into the run, and still she catches me out and I end up with yet another peck mark or claw scratch when she jumps up at me. We're going away for a week next Friday and I really didn't want the lovely teenager who looks after them for me to be injured or frightened of going in to the run. I'm really sorry Violet is the one who has to go, as she's by far my best layer of lovely big eggs besides being very beautiful, but I've told my friend all about her behaviour and he says he can cope. I hope she behaves when he comes to see her on Tuesday! So then I shall be down to only two - which will give me room to get another 2-3 when we get back from holiday, even if it means egg supply will be down for a while. It's really a relief to know she's going somewhere I know to be OK, I would have hated to have had to put her down.
I think her problem must be hormonal - I've never kept a cockerel but sometimes I think that the way she flies up, sticks her feet out and catches my legs with her claws is what a 6-month-old cockerel might do, am I right? Definitely a pullet, though, because of the lovely regular large eggs. Are there such things as transexual chickens?
 
I have no idea if chickens can be transsexual.
It's a shame you have to let her go as she does seem a character, but at least she is going to a good home and you can keep your flesh intact and you wont be worried about the hen sitter whilst you are away.
 
Sad but sensible. My Welsummer cockerel behaved like that in the spring, thumping me in the back several times as I was dealing with the feeders. Eventually I wouldn't go in the enclosure without a stick and several times he was threatened with being turned into Coq-au-Vin! In some ways it was quite funny as I'd suddenly catch sight of him bouncing from one foot to the other like a boxer - which was when I would tell him he'd be Coq-au-Vin. He did quieten down a bit but I was always wary of him. Hopefully you'll find another hen which lays as well.
 
Yes, according to their Facebook page they have plenty of pullets ATM, including some Marans X Plymouth rocks which lay dark brown eggs, and also some Goldlines which I expect would be as good layers as Violet but a lot more cuddly! I hope they won't have sold out by the time we get back from our holiday at the start of June.
She laid a whopping 84 gram egg today, but also got in a sly peck on my thigh as I was bending down filling the feeder. Another little bleed and bruise through my jeans! She's off tomorrow, thank goodness. I have a feeling that she is also the one who has found the knack of shovelling pellets out of the feeder and on to the floor, presumably trying to find the chocolate-flavoured ones at the bottom. As they are eating lovely, expensive organic pellets, if it is Violet who is doing it, there will be another reason to wave her off on her way. I've been using this type of feeder for several years now and none of the other hens have done this.
 
Rather a sad end to this curious saga. My friend tells me that Violet was found dead overnight on the third day he had her, with a massive prolapse, having laid an egg each day and apparently settling in OK up to that point. She did lay enormous eggs so I expect that was the problem.
However, i was extra glad he had taken her on, as otherwise it would have happened when we were on holiday and my teenage helper would have had to deal with it AGAIN - just like she did two years ago with the first and only other prolapse my birds have had.

And BTW - no more feed shovelled out of the feeder now she's gone!
 
That's sad Marigold but good that your teenage helper didn't have to deal with it. Makes one wonder whether there was some link, hormonal or otherwise between the very large eggs and her aggressive behaviour.
 
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