Minnesota!

[Minniechickmama]

Ralphie, if you need to join "Chicken Buyers Anonymous", just call Junior at BR549!

 

[Rhetts]

I would say it depends on the space you have for them. If you have plenty of room, I wouldn't worry about mixing them. I won't mix them over a week difference in age though, the older ones get just a little too big for the new ones to do that.

Space is not an issue. I made sure brooder would accommodate the number of birds I had ordered for an extended period if winter decided to stay longer than welcome. My concern was with the size difference and the older ones picking on the little ones. I didn't know if the new ones would be able to handle the vigor put forth from the older ones.

It will be only a week difference but my oh my how they grow in a week!!

 

[duluthralphie]

Ralphie, if you need to join "Chicken Buyers Anonymous", just call Junior at BR549!

Someone knows the show that comes from!!!


Nameless is not a "lap" rooster, but he has never been aggressive to me. I am not sure if he is RIR or not.

None of my roosters are aggressive, but I think that is because JJ (my alpha) tom does not allow that stuff... Today one of my Jake tried to sneak up from my quartering back side, JJ ran over and put the hurt on him and ran him off. I guess he thinks he is protecting me too...

I pet nameless in the coop on the roost, but he does not really like it. If he was mean, just eat him...

 

[Dandelioness]

Is he friendly with hens and children? RIR`s can be jerks.

I've had three very good RIR roosters.
We handled them from chicks and when they got older, they were often carried around like feathery footballs. We thought we were being friendly, but apparently we were showing our dominance according to some people I've talked to since we raised that first one. He was the dominant rooster of the flock, but never made me even nervous. He also never seemed timid around us, the way a roo lower in the pecking order would act around him.

I do teach my kids how to behave around and handle the chickens. And they have all been actual RIRs, not production reds or anything.

You're not the first person I've heard say that, though.

Wasn't someone's brother on this thread into chicken psychology for a college paper?? How about "Rhode Island Red Roosters: A Tough Egg to Crack"

 

[Cyrus83]

I had a really nice ameraucana roo, but he gor mauled by a fox. Im in the process of moving to the forest lake area. Once im moved I can get a rooster again.

 

[Minniechickmama]

Space is not an issue. I made sure brooder would accommodate the number of birds I had ordered for an extended period if winter decided to stay longer than welcome. My concern was with the size difference and the older ones picking on the little ones. I didn't know if the new ones would be able to handle the vigor put forth from the older ones.

It will be only a week difference but my oh my how they grow in a week!!

I don't recomment mixing bantams that are a week younger with Large Fowl chicks that are a week older, but if they are all one or the other, I have never seen a problem with mixing. In fact, I have two tubs with them mixed right now. It depends on the temperament of the birds. I find hatchery birds are more aggressive than breeder stock, with the exception of some Frizzle bantams I had one year. Those things were nasty from day one and just got worse every day. I finally culled them at about 3-months because they were so nasty, just just the males, the females were sweet as pie.

 

[holm25]

Got my roo yesterday evening!!

 

[lightchick]

Got my roo yesterday evening!!

He's so pretty!!!

 

[Dandelioness]

Got my roo yesterday evening!!

Nice looking rooster! What kind is he?

 

[nordicacres]

Anyone know anything about the Urch poultry breeder over by Owatonna? Is he still breeding? Owatonna is pretty close to Mankato. I was hoping to drive over and pick up a few chicks from him, but can't find any info on the web. TY!