One of my prettiest hens is mean as a snake! I don’t know what’s wrong with her. Vince wants chicken stew this weekend and I told him no . . give me a few days to try to rehab her. Lucky for her, he doesn’t know which one is the mean one or she’d probably be history already. Yesterday, she grabbed my hand and would not let go. I was using my right hand to hold the egg door open and couldn’t shake her loose off my left hand. She drew blood and the more I twisted my hand to try to get loose from her, the more my skin was tearing. It was really just a scratch . . not nearly as bad as it sounds but . . why is she acting that way?
This morning while gathering eggs, she came out of nowhere and grabbed my right hand and drew blood again. Maybe I need heavy duty work gloves to go out there and gather my eggs! So far, she doesn’t seem to bother the other chickens . . but if I see her bothering them, she’s definitely history.
I had watered the foundation yesterday so the ground around the house was damp and soft. Vince and I were out walking around and saw this. He said “WHAT’S THAT?” and then we realized it was from one of these guys.
I love seeing these chickens running around the yard . . unless they’re looking like they want to kill me.
Does he look evil? Yes, he knows I’m scared of him. I never go on their side of the driveway without a big stick. Look at his pretty rose comb. I wish the Dominique hens were better layers. I’m keeping at least one of the roosters to see if I can get Dominique babies. For now, the three roosters and the three hens seem to be getting along fairly well.
The three roosters are always together . . I think they’re conspiring about how to get me. There are three of them and I only carry one stick! They don’t know what else I’m usually carrying that they don’t see! 🙂
Alma says
Chicken in the pot this weekend for sure!
Karin says
Oh, that is so hard to have a mean chicken! I have a feeling you will be having chicken for dinner sometime real soon!
Judy D in WA says
Can a mean chicken be rehabbed? I have one and like you, don’t want her to be dinner, I want her to play well with others-esp. me-and lay eggs. Can’t wait to hear the rest of the story. Good luck with her.
Your Dominques are gorgeous.
Ranch Wife says
Perhaps she has a bad case of PMS. 🙂 Hope it’s a temporary thing. The other day I was late in letting my chickens out of the coop and they just attacked my boots. They have never done that. I think I was being chastised…by chickens. Who would of thought. I took them watermelon as a peace offering. 🙂
Mary in VA says
I have found that a leaf rake works better than a stick – especially for my mean rooster. He always looks at me like he is sizing up a bug for dinner. And to think I used to snuggle him and bring him treats before he got to be so mean!
Becky G says
So fun seeing these beauties. So hard to believe they’ve grown up to be such colorful & elegant looking birds when I remember how they looked when you first brought them home. It’s been an adventure. Thanks for sharing!
WiAmy says
My pet parrot does not like plastic bags or plastic items especially white plastic. She is afraid and flies to me when I handle these items. She bites the item and tries to give me a warning bite to get me away from the “dangerous” bag or plastic item! I’m not sure that chickens are like parrots, but maybe there is something you are doing or wearing that is frightening her!
CindyC says
Maybe she is protecting her eggs. Do you think she is wanting to sit, but you keep taking them? When I had more than one rooster I also carried a big stick. The lead rooster was the one who would run across the yard to get to me if he saw me outside. When I got rid of him, the next in line decided to do the same. He wasn’t as fast and unfortunately, the coyotees saw him.