Red Star questions

[AmberHoff]

Hi,

I'm a newbie. No chickens yet. Doing research - hoping to get some pullets by this summer. I have been scoping out the breeds boards. Looking at all the factors I want in hens (seldom broody, dual purpose) I am leaning towards the Red Star breed and maybe the Plymouth Rocks. I can only have 3 so I was thinking 2 Red Star's and 1 Plymouth Rock.

A few questions, some comments were that the Red Stars can be mean to more docile breeds - will this be an issue with Plymouths?

I have a 16 month toddler - will they be aggressive with them? We will not have a rooster or be brooding any chicks. Eggs to eat only.

I also think a Welsummer looks interesting. How do they compare to a Red Star as far as temperament and egg laying?

Thank you,

Amber

 

[Kelsie2290]

I have liked my Red Stars, they tend to be dominant hens, but I don't really find them to be bullys. I have a mixed flock with a lot of different breeds and they fit right in, they do tend to be among the top chickens at the feeders. They are really good with people, tend to be very friendly to the point where they are a nuisance following you around and trying to get indoors etc. They are exceptional layers of big brown eggs. The one negative is they do not tend to be very long lived, most of that is from their breeding since they are a commercial cross that is meant to lay a ton of eggs until they are about two years old and then be culled. They are prone to reproductive problems as they get older.
The Rocks (various colors) I have/ had are lower in the pecking order than the Stars, they don't lay quite as well. They are usually fairly friendly also, but are more quiet about it, the Stars are more Me Me Me, the Rocks more Yes Ma'am Whatever you say.
I find Welsummers a little more skittish than the other two breeds, but friendly, they just tend to spook sooner, decent layers but not as good as the other two, that dark brown spotty egg color is the attraction.

 

[donrae]

I've found the red sex links and the Rocks to be about the same, temperament wise. Individual birds can vary, of course, but overall they're not so much different from each other.

If I could only have 3 birds, I'd probably do a red sex link, a barred Rock, and an Easter egger. I love green eggs!

 

[AmberHoff]

Thanks! That is helpful. I have also been told to look at Buff Orpingtons. I'm worried about them going broody a lot, but good with kids. Would a red star bully an Orpington? Concerned about mixing them, especially since will only have the three.

Thank you for the information on the Red Star lifespan. I'm not actually too worried about that since we are also getting them to be dual purpose.

 

[donrae]

My Orps have always held their own, but other folks have had problems with them being the lowest. I think the biggest issue is to make sure everyone has plenty of space. For 3 birds, I'd have a coop with a minimum of 12 square feet, and a run of a minimum of 30 square feet. Again, those are bare minimums. The more space they have, the better everyone gets along. Just like people

 

[Kelsie2290]

X2 what donrae said about space, overcrowding is probably the #1 cause of problems... and also agree there is definitely individual variation, I've never had a dominant Orpington, on the other hand a friend of mine has a mixed flock of about 16 birds, and her dominant hen is a Buff Orp, including over RIR and NHR hens, go figure. ime Orpingtons tend to be pretty non confrontational, but they are broody and they can be hard to break, the hatchery ones aren't as broody as they breeder birds, but both kinds will go broody. donrae has a really good idea on considering an Easter Egger, the green eggs are fun and kids usually really enjoy them, and they tend to be very nice tempered birds, usually great in a mixed flock.