4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[Clare L]

Sorry another settling in question....

 

Things are starting to settle down in our cube now BUT one of the girls keeps pecking me. It is not hard enough to draw blood, but really hurts and seems to be like she meant to peck me, not just that I looked like a tasty bit of food!

 

At first I thought it was just her thinking that we might have food, but it seems to be getting worse and yesterday I was in side the cube run poo picking and she kept pecking me (not good when you are in an enclosed space ) and even though I kept putting her outside of the run, she kept coming back in to peck me. In the end I shut myself in the run - I was so worried I would get stuck in the run until OH came home to rescue me

 

I am starting to feel really jumpy around her now and my children are starting to get nervous of being near the girls - my poor 2 year old is just at the wrong height and cannot even stand up to get his arms away from her. We often have small children come to visit, and dont want to have to lock them up everytime someone comes to visit.

 

She is laying regularly and getting enough food, and I was not wearing anything red or shiny and I had no marks on me etc. Any ideas what I can do to stop this before it gets any worse? Would a bumper bit help do you think? I am thinking that it might not stop her pecking us, but at least it would not hurt...?

 

I really would appreciate any ideas you may have.

[tom123]

I used to have a little bantam do this and every time she pecked someone we use to spray her with water with a plant water sprayer thing!

 

It works, she now never peck us as is scared of water Don't feed them from your hand for a while and when she does stop pecking then you can.

 

Good Luck

Tom

[quickcluck]

Hi Clare

 

Sometimes they peck if you have sparkly things on your fingers, they are also partial to nail varnish on fingers or toes! I know I have to wear covered shoes if my toes are done

[Egluntyne]

Blast her with a water pistol or hose pipe every time she try it on and she'll soon get the message.

[Clare L]

Blast her with a water pistol or hose pipe every time she try it on and she'll soon get the message.

 

Two votes for the water pistol - sounds like a plan to me

[squidette]

One of our hens used to do this!

 

She started pecking my legs when my back was turned. I have the washing line in the part of the garden where they free-range and it got to the point where I would put her in the run when I was pegging out so she didnt get a chance to peck me.

 

I was talking to a fellow hen-owner and she suggested that I was being 'hen-pecked' and she needed putting in her place a bit. What I did was to make sure that the next time she came near me, I gently made her crouch by placing my hand on her back. They all crouch for me usually, but she stopped at the same time she started pecking me.... It was important for the other 2 hens to see her too. After doing this several times a day for about a week or so, the pecking seemed to stop.

 

Hope this helps

[sjp]

starfish the barnbar's started doing the same is she to young for the water pistol a 14 weeks?

[Sara-W]

When I first had my 3 bluebelles they used to try and peck me at every oppurtunity I'm quite a nervous person and would jump a mile every time! As soon as they started to free range they stopped and they don't do it at all now I think they were just curious at the start and are now occupied by far more important things like foraging for food! -not enough hours in the day for that job!!

Sara x

Endora Sally Henny Penny Esme

Evelyn Sybil Enid Queenie Agatha Mildred

Delilah Jemimah Lola

Empty at the moment!!

[chickencam]

My Pepperpot Eggy does this especially when my back is turned. She is attention seeking. I have tried putting my hand on her making her crouch and have picked her up each time she has done it and this has helped a little bit but she still does it while she is waiting for me to get corn out of the bin at night.

 

Despite this she is my favourite because she is a real character

[Hen Watch]

Your girls are still only newbies.

 

When mine first arrived, for the first month they would peck my fingers when I opened the run, stitching on my shoes, my toenails, moles on my arm ....in fact everything just to see if it was food.

 

Then they just stopped.

 

I think they just worked out what was what. Now they never peck me except if I wear my skirt with little beads which Henrietta likes to eat

 

Although mine don't peck I don't let my young nephews crouch down to eye level with the chickens just in case.

 

You may find your girls will just grow out of it.

[Clare L]

Thanks everyone - great advice. I have been making her bow down to me when she comes over and not hand feeding the girls, and this seems to be helping...I have not had to spray her with water as yet, as have not had any really nasty pecks since I started this - although she did peck OH hand hard this evening. I will keep the water pistol handy for a few more days....but big improvement.

[chickenanne]

I agree with the post about making her crouch for you (gently) this is what they do with cockerels and the cockerel is The Boss. You're just teaching her that you are the boss, not her. Do it gently, she won't be upset or hurt or anything like that.