Hen pecked and made my child bleed

[turtlesback]

This chicken usually pecks at my back to get attention. But today while me and my 5yo were outside having lunch this chicken came too close and my daughter shooed it away with her foot. Well the chicken backed off a little and came back and pecked her foot and broke skin and was bleeding and bruised. My kid chased her and kicked her then tried to pick her up and the chicken pecked at her forearm and made her bleed again. After the incident I told my daughter to press down on the hens back to teach her she’s more dominant. This is the first time but I’m not happy with this chicken. Should I get rid of her? Thoughts?

 

[Debbie292d]

It seems this hen has some aggression in her as most chickens, especially hens, once shooed away, would just walk or run away. This one came forward to "reply" for being shooed away. We've got a rather mean hen, but she's only mean to other chickens who get in her way to the food.

Hens are usually easy to rehome. Can you find someone without children that would swap her for a different hen?

 

[turtlesback]

It seems this hen has some aggression in her as most chickens, especially hens, once shooed away, would just walk or run away. This one came forward to "reply" for being shooed away. We've got a rather mean hen, but she's only mean to other chickens who get in her way to the food.

Hens are usually easy to rehome. Can you find someone without children that would swap her for a different hen?

Thank you for your message. I can very easily rehome her. I am wondering if this behaviour is fixable and if not then she’s gone.

 

[Debbie292d]

Thank you for your message. I can very easily rehome her. I am wondering if this behaviour is fixable and if not then she’s gone.

Even if it's fixable by giving her a two-week time out in another pen away from the rest, that might fix her behavior with other chickens, but I wouldn't chance it with my child. Next time it could be worse. This is really the first time I've heard of this with a hen. We've all had mean roosters, and as I mentioned, I have a mean hen, but the ones that feel the need to attack a human, we've just culled.

Your hen is full grown I presume? Sometimes, with roosters I know it can be hormonal and in a few months they simmer down and are fine.

 

[turtlesback]

Even if it's fixable by giving her a two-week time out in another pen away from the rest, that might fix her behavior with other chickens, but I wouldn't chance it with my child. Next time it could be worse. This is really the first time I've heard of this with a hen. We've all had mean roosters, and as I mentioned, I have a mean hen, but the ones that feel the need to attack a human, we've just culled.

Your hen is full grown I presume? Sometimes, with roosters I know it can be hormonal and in a few months they simmer down and are fine.

No she’s not full grown. She’s about 18 weeks old. Still hasn’t grown out her comb or started laying.

 

[Debbie292d]

No she’s not full grown. She’s about 18 weeks old. Still hasn’t grown out her comb or started laying.

Aha! Then I'd just call it juvenile antics if you want to try see how she'd be in a month, but keep her away from your daughter until she matures a little.