The strangest thing started to happen to Lulu after Edie died. She started to get very aggressive with me. Whenever I went into the coop, she would lunge at me and peck the bejeesus out of whatever she could reach. That was usually my foot and with the summer being so hot, I was usually very exposed in flip flops. I couldn’t figure out why she had turned from a friendly hen into an attack hen. When I mentioned it to my husband, he said that she wasn’t doing it to him. I have to admit that I was a little frightened to go in the coop because of her attacks. Stooping over to change her water or food left me in a very vulnerable position.

I started to bring a stick in the coop with me to fend off her attacks. I used the stick defensively and backed out as quickly as I could. I knew that when you make changes to your flock (with either additions or in my case subtractions) a scuffle generally ensues. I guess Edie was the top hen and now Lulu wanted the job. The crazy thing was that she was fighting me for the position. So, she thought I was a chicken. My husband wasn’t a chicken in her eyes. Interesting.

I realized that the only way to stop these attacks from Lulu would be to assert my dominance over her. I would have to go into the coop and kick some chicken butt! I suited up for the occasion with socks, sneakers, jeans, long sleeves and gardening gloves and sunglasses. A few very amused friends wanted to be spectators, but I needed to do this without witnesses. It’s embarrassing enough that I had to wrestle my chicken, but I didn’t want a cheering section. Or a laughing section more likely.

I went into the coop banging the door open and stomping around. Lulu instantly geared up for the fight by lunging at my feet. I booted her across the coop. (For the record, I am a bleeding hearted animal lover, who used to miss the school bus when it rained because I was rescuing worms out of the rain gutters) So (gently) kicking and scaring my chickens was particularly unpalatable to me. Lulu put up a good fight and kept coming back at me. I yelled “NO!” and went after her. I kept on the offensive until she finally backed into the smaller run. I guess I had won, but I felt horrible. Andie was scared of me also.

A week or so has gone by and we no longer have any problems. Lulu tried once to lunge at me, but I shouted “No” and stomped in her direction. We are friends again and she comes when I call her and lets me pick her up. Andie doesn’t seem to remember me scaring her either. So all in all I think that the experiment worked and I am now the top hen. Is that a resumé item?

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