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

[KittyFlash]

Yesterday I thought I'd have a check on Minerva to see if she had any lice or other problems. It took me a while to catch her but I managed eventually. As I was checking her feathers, my other chicken, Maggie was very agitated and kept coming over. She suddenly lunged towards my hands making me whip my hands quickly away with the result that Minerva got the force of the attack and Maggie had one of her feathers out.

 

Do chickens normally get agitated in this way... should I fear for my fingers in the future

[Redwing]

If you wear rings they sometimes lunge for them as they are shiny, could that be it?

[Leicester_H]

Do chickens normally get agitated in this way... should I fear for my fingers in the future

Chickens do do odd things - I don't think they even know why all the time!

The only times I fear for my fingers is when they think I have food - they just can't control themselves.

I always feed treats using a small (red - so easy to distinguish) bowl - so they have learnt that pecking hands doesn't get them food - so they don't do it.

If they persist you could give quick squirt of water (from plant spray thingie) - this seems to deter unwanted behaviour and doesn't harm them.

 

H

[Ness3103]

mine pecked me when i had nail varnish on and they always peck my friends ring, she wears loads but they are obsessed with one in particular

[KittyFlash]

Well, I didn't have anything out of the ordinary on my fingers. It was definitely because I was holding Minerva that she got agitated. Perhaps she thought I was going to do something nasty to her? Protective chickens?! Especially strange because Minerva's just had a bumper bit fitted as she was plucking Maggie's feathers.

 

Oh! Perhaps it was revenge