Barred Rock the meanest breed?

[ranchhand]

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WHOA! The rooster is now the least of your problems!

 

[Hockeychick]

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If it makes you feel any better, I purchased 5 BR's from My Pet Chicken this spring and they are sweet birds. My husband's favorites, in fact. They are curious and friendly. My only complaint is that they peck the EE's too much. Hopefully yours are from the same strain!

 

[jjparke]

Barred rocks are the most layed back breed I've ever had. Including roo's. Never back away from him when he challenges you and don't be afraid to give him a big boot. If all else fails just eat him. It's just a chicken. You can get them at walmart for $5.00 already cooked.

 

[sommrluv]

My two barred rocks are mean birds. They don't try anything on me, really, they just are aggressive to the other chickens and could take me or leave me. They run to me when I call, etc, but they won't let me pick them up without a fight (natural, I guess).

They are also SO FAT. None of my other birds are overweight. They are so mean I'd get rid of them...but I think their eggs taste the best.

Must be all that fat. They came from a friend who ordered them through Cackle.

A local guy I got my orps from said he hates barred rock because they eat so much and were aggressive to his kids.

I would totally believe the bad strain in breeding thoughts...These places just ship the eggs, right? They won't really monitor each "generation".

 

[SunChick]

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WHOA! The rooster is now the least of your problems!

Wow, I hope you weren't missing anything valuable. I would have flipped if I found my sitter in my bedroom with the door shut, her butt would have been sitting on my couch as I went through my drawers to see if anything was missing and IMO I wouldn't have paid her--not with a 9 month old crawling all around the crying. No excuse.

Did you inform the people who recommended her what happened?

 

[speckledhen]

Chickens have their own pecking order and society. Some are higher in rank and they get the privilege of pecking and bossing the others around. That's just normal in any breed. I don't consider any chicken aggressive that is just asserting their dominant role in the flock, so in my opinion, it's unfair to label them as aggressive because of that. BRs are very confident, curious, intelligent chickens overall, and that shows in their dealings with others in the flock.

 

[matthewschickens]

My hens are sweeties to people but mean to other hens

 

[babyblue]

BR's should be a sweet and calm breed. but like others have said some hatcherys breed mean and stupid into their birds for the sake of money and profit. you get a crazy one let him go. there are plenty of sweet good birds to be had that end up dinner because of the over abundance of roosters.

 

[Morgan7782]

I had two Barred Rock hens a few years ago from a 4-H "Hatch Off" at the fair. Both hens were extremely sweet, friendly, in your lap chickens. They had no problem putting the cats or any foster puppies I had in CHECK.

I now have one 12 week old Barred Rock named Joon who is wonderful. I had another Barred Rock when I got them as day olds and picked the friendliest. Neither were mean though, one was just shyer then the other. I can hold my hand to the front of Joon's legs and she will step to my hand and perch, exploring the world from the new fun height. Anytime I have a bucket of ANYTHING she comes running. She does not pick on her EE sister (who is submissive/shy) but she does 'put her in her place'. Never blood or any worries though. Joon is a total comical personality, and she was the first to Bok Bok instead of Cheeping (Which my EE still does at 12 weeks).

My experience with Barred Rocks has been nothing short of great. I will never have a flock without them. They are awesome layers, even through the dead of winter, personality galore, cold and heat hardy, and the one's I have had were totally friendly with all the kids in my family. We had a 2 year old at the time too.

I am sure personality can vary, especially in hatchery birds, but I rarely hear of bad experiences regarding Barred Rocks. Joon was from Belt Hatchery.

 

[katplitt]

I adore my BR's (have 4 hens) I didn't have them from young chicks, so they were used to being held (ok with me) But they are social and easy to care for. I love them!!