Bully Rhode Island Red

[MassChick]

I recently introduced a RIR who left her own flock of red's to my small flock of a Buff Orphington, a Barred Rock, and a Black Austrolorp. She had it out with the Austrolorp and established dominance. The Austrolorp since died do to an unrelated illness. The Red has had it in for the Buff since day one. Ripped her feathers from her head out, won't let her eat etc. It subsided for the past week or so and she was just chasing her and I figured we were good to go. Until this morning she was attacking her in the nesting box as she trying to lay her egg, following her around and her head is all raw again and plucked with a little blood. Side note: The Red won't touch the Barred Rock... won't even look at her. I took the Red out today and put in an old coop I had for now. Help!

 

[SueT]

RIRs are often that way. I had one that was. My Buff Orlpington was the bottom of the pecking order and didn't want to go in at night. I had to construct a cell in the corner of their coop to put Rosy in at night or she'd hog the entire 5' roost, viciously attacking anyone else who dared to use it.
She's gone now and I'll never get another RIR. I have several other breeds including 2 bantams, and they all live in harmony.

 

[MassChick]

RIRs are often that way. I had one that was. My Buff Orlpington was the bottom of the pecking order and didn't want to go in at night. I had to construct a cell in the corner of their coop to put Rosy in at night or she'd hog the entire 5' roost, viciously attacking anyone else who dared to use it.
She's gone now and I'll never get another RIR. I have several other breeds including 2 bantams, and they all live in harmony.

I'm with you. Reds are not my favorite. I gave my others to a friend. I'm wondering if someone knows of a good anti Peck spray BESIDES blue kote. That stuff made it worse last time I used it on her. They practically killed her.

 

[Folly's place]

I have had hatchery RIRs, and production reds, and sex-links, and NEVER AGAIN! Maybe the show bred RIRs are nicer, but I'm not going to bother to find out. Move her on with disclosure (is that why she came to you?) or into the crock pot. Mary

 

[MassChick]

I have had hatchery RIRs, and production reds, and sex-links, and NEVER AGAIN! Maybe the show bred RIRs are nicer, but I'm not going to bother to find out. Move her on with disclosure (is that why she came to you?) or into the crock pot. Mary

LOL that's what my husband said. Unfortunately she's my daughter's absolute favorite. She's a nice bird with people just not other chickens. We got all red's initially from a feed store. I gave the rest away because they refused to get along with my other breeds. But we still have this one left who is making my sweetheart Buff's live miserable

 

[Folly's place]

Torturing a nice bird is not acceptable, and I hope your daughter can see that this is true. Maybe a separate flock of nasty RIRs, and let them duke it out? Mary

 

[SueT]

Time for a family conference......

 

[MassChick]

Torturing a nice bird is not acceptable, and I hope your daughter can see that this is true. Maybe a separate flock of nasty RIRs, and let them duke it out? Mary

I totally agree with you. If it doesn't get better after isolating the aggressor I may have to give her to my friend so she can be with her original flock.

 

[Sharwig]

When I first decided to get chickens everyone told me to get RIR's because they are such "great" layers. As chicks, I initially purchased two with two Aracauna's. One of the RIR's turned out to be a mean old rooster that was aggressive and noisy. We rehomed him after about 6 months. Henny, the original RIR got along fine with the Aracauna's and still does. But then I introduced three more chickens -- 2 more RIR (not being any the wiser) and 1 more Auracana. That's when the trouble began. I've since added 7 more chickens (13 total) and Henny has become a terrible bully doing much of the same things you describe. Baldy, one of the other RIR's we "adopted" has also been known to pick on the others. I have one barred rock who is nearly bald from all the pecking. She now wears a saddle to protect her. I once watched Baldy literally "plow" all the other chickens right off the roost one night. Henny goes into time-out regularly, but since we added a rooster to the flock, she seems to be better behaved. Either way, I wouldn't own them again and wouldn't recommend them. The only thing I can recommend is rehome her or separate her from the flock for 3-4 days. This is supposed to throw her back to the bottom of the pecking order. Good luck!

 

[MassChick]

When I first decided to get chickens everyone told me to get RIR's because they are such "great" layers. As chicks, I initially purchased two with two Aracauna's. One of the RIR's turned out to be a mean old rooster that was aggressive and noisy. We rehomed him after about 6 months. Henny, the original RIR got along fine with the Aracauna's and still does. But then I introduced three more chickens -- 2 more RIR (not being any the wiser) and 1 more Auracana. That's when the trouble began. I've since added 7 more chickens (13 total) and Henny has become a terrible bully doing much of the same things you describe. Baldy, one of the other RIR's we "adopted" has also been known to pick on the others. I have one barred rock who is nearly bald from all the pecking. She now wears a saddle to protect her. I once watched Baldy literally "plow" all the other chickens right off the roost one night. Henny goes into time-out regularly, but since we added a rooster to the flock, she seems to be better behaved. Either way, I wouldn't own them again and wouldn't recommend them. The only thing I can recommend is rehome her or separate her from the flock for 3-4 days. This is supposed to throw her back to the bottom of the pecking order. Good luck!

I was told that very same thing!! I originally bought six... never again. I'm going to keep in an extra coop I have for a few days. Is there an anti pecking spray that won't discolor her you can recommend?