Are Rhode Island Reds aggressive?!? Please help and reply!!

[billyb]

I recently just got rhode island red chicks and I have been hearing that they tend to be aggressive... Is that tru?? Please and reply and help!!!

 

[Leahs Mom]

I'm brand new to chickens myself but...I just got 6 chicks and 2 of the are RIRs. Interestingly enough, at only 2 days old, one of the RIR's seems to be the agressor. She (I hope she!) will charge in toward the feeder whenever anyone of the others goes over and seems somewhat menacing. At this age no biggie and life goes on but I'll be surprised if she's not the alpha in the end!

 

[FireTigeris]

Some people are aggressive some are not, some horses, some dogs.

RIR are a very popular breed and you hear about the problem chickens from them, I have one that is very sweet.

It will also depend on where they are from- some people breed for temperament and some other quality.

That is only allowing polite hens and roosters to reproduce.

Some people breed just to get lots of eggs
Some people breed to get a long lived healthy chicken (pet)
Some for meat
Some for shows

 

[billyb]

Okay thanks!

 

[AinaWGSD]

RIR are one of the most popular breeds that hatcheries sell. Since hatcheries breed to meet demand for chicks, they pay less attention to things like temperament or how closely the birds meet the standard of perfection as their focus is mostly on breeding birds that produce large numbers of eggs (both so that they can hatch larger numbers of chicks and because a majority of the people ordering chicks are looking for laying hens). So, it stands to reason that there will be a seemingly larger number of aggressive birds in an extremely popular breed.

But you also have to consider what "aggressive" means in relation to chickens and chicken keeping. If you just got some pullets to lay eggs for your backyard flock you're most likely fine. The overwhelming majority of hens, even those from breeds with a reputation for aggression, are going to be docile towards humans. Human aggression in hens is not unheard of, but it is not that common and usually doesn't escalate to the point of injuries. "Aggressive" can also refer to how the chickens behave towards other chickens. The most aggressive bird I have is sweet to us and submits to us by squatting (like she would for a rooster) pretty often, but yanks the feathers out of the other hens if they don't get out of her way fast enough. I consider her to be "aggressive" to an undesireable degree, but at the same time I have absolutely no fear for my two year old's health and safety when he walks right up to her and tries to pick her up.

 

[alpacathom]

I have had and hatched RIR's for more years than I want to try and count, and the only problem I had with aggresion is 2 roosters and they would attcak anything including me. Check out my web site.
fallonfamilyfarm.com

Thom

 

[Chickmagnet9]

Over these past few years, I have had many, many chickens and different breeds. This last year, we got 3 RIR hens from day old. We've made it a point to handle all of our hens so they are very used to human contact...they like it....we love it. Our RIR's are the most aggressive birds we've had. So much so, that I'm trying to find a home for them. They are excellent layers so someone will be getting a gold mine. They need to be by themselves as a group. They are tearing up my other ladies who are now very shy and timid to the point that they don't even want to come near me. I don't like it. The RIR's need to go and I'll never get them again. I prefer Orpingtons, Wyandott's, and Ameraucana's.