I have the RIR yes they can be aggressive. My RIR protects my pellets from the older girls but they all get along. I have a mixed flock of Easter Eggers, Welsummers, RIR, Orpingtons. The Orpingtons are our oldest hens. They will chase the others around and my RIR will step in. But they are all one flock now. My Welsummers(2) hens, are both skittish when you come around and been since they were a day old. My Easter Eggers(2) hens are great they come up to me wanted to be picked up and talked to. One lays a blue egg and the other is green with a blue tint to it. RIR will let me pet her and is the first to great me as I go into the pen with them. she lays a brown egg. Orps were given to us and are just now coming around me to let me pet them. They would come to the edge of the pen and feed them but they were not used to anyone touching them. They were given to my son by a friend of his the other year. The Orps were never handled much at all. We added a large run to there coop and I am in there every day with them for a while. They are now coming close to me but still skittish. She lays a large brown egg.
The thing with chickens you need to be hands on. Lots of talking to and touching holding them in order for them to be friendly birds so you can touch and hold them as they become adult chickens. But some like it and others don't they all have different personalities. We purchase our chicks in April 2017 they just started laying recently. Anywhere from 20 weeks to 24 weeks you will begin to see eggs. For me it was closer to 24 weeks. ( I am disabled and have MS. So I needed breeds I could handle with the help of my son.) I feed and water ever day now. I handled them in the brooder as my son didn't do anything at that stage. My son does most of the cleaning of the coop and run area. I do some of it but he does the majority of that. I spend most of the time with them as I am unable to work. Winter when it Ice or Snow he takes care of them because my body just can't handle it. But spring Summer and Fall I right there with them. So even someone with disabilities like me can enjoy chickens. Best of luck with your flock when you decide on what you like.
The thing with chickens you need to be hands on. Lots of talking to and touching holding them in order for them to be friendly birds so you can touch and hold them as they become adult chickens. But some like it and others don't they all have different personalities. We purchase our chicks in April 2017 they just started laying recently. Anywhere from 20 weeks to 24 weeks you will begin to see eggs. For me it was closer to 24 weeks. ( I am disabled and have MS. So I needed breeds I could handle with the help of my son.) I feed and water ever day now. I handled them in the brooder as my son didn't do anything at that stage. My son does most of the cleaning of the coop and run area. I do some of it but he does the majority of that. I spend most of the time with them as I am unable to work. Winter when it Ice or Snow he takes care of them because my body just can't handle it. But spring Summer and Fall I right there with them. So even someone with disabilities like me can enjoy chickens. Best of luck with your flock when you decide on what you like.
