Eglu Go With 2m Run For Sale

[maryeadrian]

I have 3 lovely girls. A Barred Rock, a Delaware and a GLW. I won't go into all their wonderful qualities and I'm not complaining. (My girls just are who they are!) But we have this one little issue and I was wondering if anyone else has it. Never read about it before.

 

My girls are biters. My little one's the worse. In the past 2 days after checking another one of the gilrs, as I went to put her on the ground, my little one ran up and bit me. The second time she flew up and bit me as if to say, "Hey! Put her down!" The other 2 don't mean to bite, they just get so excited when I hand feed them and they end up biting my hand. After I fed them a few grapes, one kept looking up, wanting more and clucking at me, then flew up and pulled at my shirt. (It was kinda funny!)

 

I'm not talking little pecks. I'm talking about breaking the skin and bleeding bites.

 

Of course, common sense would say wear gloves, and I will, but anyone else ever have this happen?

 

Other than that they're delightful girls. I love them dearly.

 

Thanks!

[Patricia W]

No, mine nudge my feet and pull my skirt/trousers if they think the treats are a bit slow to come, but it's not a peck. Even Phillip the cockerel doesn't do it.

 

Do you wear red? I have heard they peck at red.... Others will know

 

Tricia

[sjp]

Starfish is a as you say a biter but that only if my finger is there. she dosen't go out of her way to bite and she hasn't drawn blood mind my hands are like 'ald leather' but she don't half put some force behind it

[Space Chick]

My ex batts bite my fingers if I have treats, I just think they get too enthusiastic

 

Do you wear red nail vanish or wear rings? As they can be drawn to "shiny" things

[maryeadrian]

I don't wear red. Usually tan and blue. I do wear one silver ring. I've learned not to wear earings that dangle, too! I think two are just enthusiastic girls. The youngest is just getting ready to lay, so who knows? Mostly they follow me around "talking" to me. But boy, those bites are something! Really, only the little one breaks the skin and draws blood. But I wear my "wounds" with pride, love and devotion. As I told the US forum, they also pull at whatever clothes they can reach, like a child who pulls on the adults clothes wanting attention.

 

Thanks for all your replies. I really appreciate it!

[Snowy]

I think most of it is just youthful enthusiasm! They will probably settle down as they get older. Also consider not hand feeding them - use a dish, then they won't associate you with being food

[maryeadrian]

I'll try that. Thanks! I think it's youth, too. And very enthusiastic youth at that! How can that not be a good thing?

[Mincepies]

Hi Mary, I know exactly what you mean and there is a big difference between the peckers and the biters. I have one biter, our top chicken, Beyonce. She went through a phase of combining leaping up and giving me very hard bites, with strutting up and down in front of me with fluffed up feathers, and chasing me,

I researched it and deduced she thought I was a lower grade hen and therefore I had to assert my own dominance. I did this by gently pressing her down, as a cockerel would do, for about ten seconds or so at a time, and did this fairly regularly. I've also read that you can do the same thing but in addition put a white towel over her. This is all supposed to calm her aggressiveness and let her know you are the boss. Apparently might need to do it every so often as the aggressiveness can return every now and then.

Beyonce still fluffs up and struts sometimes but I've not had any more bruised or bleeding fingers/legs!

[Valkyrie]

When we first had ours they pecked really hard (fortunately didn't draw blood), but either our hands have got used to being pecked or the girls know how to only go for the food - you can feel them pecking but not pinching flesh. I hadn't even noticed it until I read your post.