Why does my bossy hen complain loudly and follow me around?

[NHchicks]

One of my 2 yr. old hens has I think taken over since the rooster died. There are 8 hens in all, 3 two year olds, and 5 one year olds. The bossy one, Skittles, walks around complaining when I go outside. She runs to me, complaining all the while, follows me around. They have plenty of food available and free range all day. I dusted them last week for mites, and I will follow up in a few days with Eprinex when it gets here, to 2nd dose them for mites, and catch any worms they might have. I'm thinking she doesn't feel well, maybe she does have worms and we'll see if the Eprinex helps her, but -- does one hen just get bossy and push everyone else around and complain all the time?

 

[columbiacritter]

Sounds like she's just really opinionated to me! I had one hen who would follow me around whining about everything and telling my how hard her life was. My DH laughed himself silly when I started referring to her by his mothers name.

Now I have a duck who regularly chews me out using some very nasty language and graphic terms. One day I reached down and scooped her right up onto the (cold) BBQ and told her that was where she was headed if she didn't find someone else to bug.

It actually shut her up for a while.

 

[NHchicks]

Quote:

Thanks, that's reassuring. I'll feel better once I've dosed them with Eprinex just to be sure. She's never been shy - she'll peck your toes, I think just because they're interesting. And she seems to be attracted to anything red. You've got red on, she wants to see it closer. Like a bull. I half think she's a fashion plate. She loves colorful boots.

But she is driving me crazy with her chronic complaining.

 

[scratch'n'peck]

My chickens will whine for treats. Maybe now that she is the head chicken she has also taken over the roosters job of finding the choicest food for the flock, and this is her way of doing it.

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

FOOD!!!! Anything that you will give her to eat!!!

 

[teach1rusl]

I agree with SnP - I think she's begging for treats. My BR will come to the door and make a horrible ruckus until I go hand her a treat - and that shuts her up. She has me trained quite well

 

[JulieNKC]

Food is right. My prod red follows me, waits at the door, etc. She is up my butt whenever she can be, and usually making growling sounds the whole time. My Bo's don't stalk me like she does, but if I call then they come running as fast as they can, which being fat fluffy chickens isn't very...

 

[NHchicks]

Ha - We can imagine it's all sorts of things, but in the end it always boils down to one thing: WhachaGotToEat...

 

[woodmort]

You're probably in the way.

 

[bt03]

You are the bringer of food! When we lost my rooster (stupid dog) my hens followed me everywhere and did nothing but talk smack! They complained and complained because as the bringer of food I had to have a magic pocket that refilled itself with treats. They did this until we got a new rooster.... now he complains until I dish out treats for everyone