The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: SafeHaven on August 29, 2023, 01:03:44 pm
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I have a small flock of 5 hens and a cockerel. The cockerel is a Black Copper Marans and is a gentleman. He has two BCM hens, and three Crested Cream Legbar hens with him. The hens are around three years old, maybe four, I can't remember.
One of the Cream Legbar hens has suddenly decided to fight with me when I come in to fill their food, etc. Exactly like a cockerel would. Neck feathers out, biting me, launching and kicking at me. It's the weirdest thing.
The only thing I can think of is I have new wellies and they're red. Last night I went in there and she started fighting with me and I just stood up and held my foot out and she gave my wellie a good pasting before ruffling her feathers and walking away, feeling quite pleased with herself.
The cockerel takes no notice, he just lets her fight with me. Has anyone ever had a hen do this before?
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I've never had one that viciously attacks although plenty have had a go at pecking various marks and spots they seem to see on my rather plain green wellies, and on other footwear. Birds are particularly attracted to the colour red - this is why chick feeders are often made of red plastic as it encourages pecking - so maybe your hen is just taking things to the extreme! Hopefully over time she'll settle down. Either that or change your boots to a nice dull colour ;D
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You might be right about the wellies. Colour does strange things to them.
I once went out to my ducks wearing a sort of gold/yellow puffer jacket. They literally were standing on each other in one corner in a desperate panic to escape.
Took the jacket off - like nothing ever happened.
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Ha ha my birds hate it if I wear anything remotely brightly coloured, or stripy or anything out of the ordinary. My day to day outdoor gear has to be dull navy, grey, black t shirts and shorts/trousers.
And talking of ducks, my 3 will only eat out of one particular bowl. They literally won't go near anything else.
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We had a friend came to our place in England to see the chickens. She only caught a glimpse of them as they ran for cover under bushes. She was wearing her new pink wellies!
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Oh yes had that happen here many times. ;D
Imagine what it was like last winter when we had three separate vet inspections (for avian flu). Vet rocked up and donned bright blue hazmat suit and breathing apparatus and with him puffing along behind me like Darth Vader we toured the pens. Birds just went completely bonkers!