3 Rhode Islands and a Sussex

[goatmezchicks]

Hello everyone! I am new to the site. Been browsing it ever since I started my own coop, and decided it's time to join. I grew up on a small residential farm with chickens, ducks, rabbits and the occasional pigs and steer. I started a coop of my own last year. I'm used to my parents coop of around 20 chickens but due to my property have a small brood of 4. We started with 3 Rhode Island reds, who have an attitude, and later got the Sussex I believe, from my parents. She was pecked nearly to death there. Funny thing is though, our Rhodes leave her alone but beat each-other up.
Does anyone else have aggressive Rhodes?

 

[Kelsie2290]

Hello and Welcome To BYC! Pretty little flock! Ya, I've found hatchery RIR tend to be a real bossy breed, especially in mixed flocks, but at least they are usually good layers... is your other bird a Lakenvelder?

 

[bamadude]

Hi and welcome.

 

[goatmezchicks]

Hello, you know what, I think it is a Laken. My aunt got us and herself some RIR from a hatchery and she ended up taking hers back because they were aggressive towards her. I was able to Blue Cote mine today so hopefully the neighbors won't think I have bald chickens too much longer.

 

[TwoCrows]

Welcome to BYC!

My mom kept RIR many many years ago and when I was growing up and they all seemed aggressive to me. But some people say they have some very sweet RIR's. So who knows!

I would separate out any aggressive birds or use pinless peepers on them to stop the pecking. Never let them bully each other.

Good luck with your flock and welcome to our flock!

 

[Fred's Hens]

Standard bred, so called heritage stains of true Rhode Island Reds are likely friendly puppies.

The hatchery versions have long ago drifted from the Standard and are mass produced for production purposes, by and large. They've often also been infused with touches of other breeds to make them even more production oriented.

The hatcheries business model is mass breeding. The creates the "spoils go the most aggressive" and thus, the more aggressive the males are, the more hens they mount and their genes dominate the gene pool and most folks believe that aggressive behaviors are hereditary.

It's a shame more folks cannot enjoy how nice a real, true bred Rhode Island Red really is.

 

[drumstick diva]

 

[gander007]