Rhode Island Red vs Astrolorp

[Luv my Hens]

Our Rhode Island Reds are bullying our Astrolorps. Wondering if anyone else has seen them as agressive.?

 

[Grind Hard Farm]

I own some but don't see anything aggressive. Could you explain what's been going on?

 

[MamaPoult]

All my RIRS were aggressive! I dont like them.

 

[ShrekDawg]

I’ve heard from several people that they do tend to be aggressive, yes, but I’ve never owned them myself so I can’t say from experience. But I have heard that, yes.

 

[goodmanfarm]

i've owned many RIRs and RIWs and they come off as assertive sometimes, but mine aren't really agressive. I do think they seem to get along better with some breeds more than others though

 

[Luv my Hens]

I own some but don't see anything aggressive. Could you explain what's been happening.

 

[Luv my Hens]

They act like roosters, getting on top and holding them down till they squeal and many of the others gather around to watch.
We have 5 RIR, and 7 Astrolorps.
5 RIR are a year old.
3 Astro a year old.
4 Astro 7 months old.
12 total in big coop, large run area, with outside playpen area. FREE ranges an hour or so on nice days.

 

[Chicken_tiger_catt]

Our Rhode Island Reds are bullying our Astrolorps. Wondering if anyone else has seen them as agressive.?

yeah............. don't get me wrong, they can be great birds, but they can also be cannibalistic monsters. I once had a flock of 10 or so, along with an older Americana mix, 5 ish Barred Rocks, and 2 meat birds. I don't know what happened to the Americana, but it was probably old age. anyways, the Rhode Islands got a hold of her body and started eating it. I removed the corpse, but after that they were out for blood. we had to separate them from the larger, slower, and apparently tastier meat chickens, because the Rhode Islands kept ripping at their undersides and drinking their blood. so yeah. I have some in my flock now (not the mean ones, they were executed for their crimes), and I think because they grew up with other breeds, and are lower in the pecking order, and they have a rooster, that is why they are less violent than the ones before. HA! and Hoover's lists them as a "docile" breed!

 

[ShrekDawg]

They act like roosters, getting on top and holding them down till they squeal and many of the others gather around to watch.
We have 5 RIR, and 7 Astrolorps.
5 RIR are a year old.
3 Astro a year old.
4 Astro 7 months old.
12 total in big coop, large run area, with outside playpen area. FREE ranges an hour or so on nice days.

Are they only picking on the younger ones or all of the Australorps? Chickens in general can be vicious to newcomers.

 

[LaFleche]

Our Rhode Island Reds are bullying our Astrolorps. Wondering if anyone else has seen them as agressive.?

What does your set up look like? How much space do they have?
I would not consider them a breed suitable for small or medium runs. They need to roam freely to burn off some of their energy