Hen being annoying

[HollowOfWisps]

Just to clarify is she attacking you when you walk by and she is initiating the contact or is she attacking you when you are trying to hold her or pet her?

 

[Squawkers]

You took her out of the coop? Was she in the nest??

 

[IsaChicks]

Just to clarify is she attacking you when you walk by and she is initiating the contact or is she attacking you when you are trying to hold her or pet her?

When i try to pet her and when i go near her. It's strange because she loves being pet and she follows me around everywhere but i guess she just isn't in the mood sometimes.

 

[IsaChicks]

You took her out of the coop? Was she in the nest??

No she wanted out of her coop since she's in my screened patio i have to pick her up and take her outside

 

[Squawkers]

No she wanted out of her coop since she's in my screened patio i have to pick her up and take her outside

Ok. So she’s not in the nest usually when she gets aggressive?

 

[HollowOfWisps]

When i try to pet her and when i go near her. It's strange because she loves being pet and she follows me around everywhere but i guess she just isn't in the mood sometimes.

Leave her be then. If she was actively initiating the contact first I would say aggression, but her pecking you when you are trying to pick her up is her saying she isn’t comfortable with you in her space. Chickens are not puppies or kittens and often do not like being cuddled. It goes against their natural instincts to be pet and held because they are prey. She can’t vocally say “hey I’m not comfortable with you touching me” so her pecking you is her saying “hey I’m not comfortable with you touching me”. As someone who doesn’t like being touched I am a huge supporter of giving that same level of respect to animals as well. They don’t speak verbally to us, but if you observe they actually do speak to us through their body language. If an animal shows you that they need space because they are uncomfortable listen to them. I know you think it is “annoying”, but how annoying would it be if you repeatedly told someone to not touch you and give you space, but they didn’t listen and kept trying to touch you?

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I agree. The relationship we have with our animals should be based on mutual respect. That means we "listen" to them and respond to what they are trying to tell us the best they can, given the fact that we speak different languages. If she says, Back off, leave me alone, then you need to do that. Maybe she is trying to lay an egg or just wants to take a nap. She can be sweet another time, right?