Rhode Island Reds

[sdm1277]

I Started With Rhode Island Reds And White Leg Horns. I Am Starting To Think That Those Are Not People Friendly Birds.... What Do You Think? I Have Bantams As Well And They Are Great!!
Anyone Have Experience With These Reds And Whites That Can Give Me Advice?

 

[ruby]

I have raised RIR for years. They are aggressive when they are young. Get a little better with age. They are good layers though. Bantams are no comparison in my opinion and I have raised both.

 

[Dora'smom]

My RIR's have not been very friendly, but now that they are over a year old, they are a little better. They are aggressive with the other birds, too, but I have successfully decreased that.

 

[greathorse]

I have had both hatchery and now some exhibtion style RIR and both were very nice birds. I do not pick mine up and so forth but they follow me around and the roosters have not been aggressive at all. I think aggression sort of runs in strains. My hatchey stock was from Privett and my heritage ones are from a couple of differnet sources. I think it really has to do with the particular bunch of birds.

I had a whole bunch of Hatchery slw a couple of years ago and they were the meanest roosters I have ever known. those were from Murry Mcmurry I beleive.

 

[felidaet]

I have a RIR that is a little over a year old. Within a few days of starting to lay she became the friendliest bird in the flock. She wants to be petted all of the time and likes to be held. I got 4 more this year but they are still too young to know if they will be friendly or not. One of them turned out to be a rooster. He will be leaving the flock in another week or two. I am only going to keep one but got three this year. I am keeping a very friendly white leghorn rooster but if he starts crowing too much or gets too aggressive with the hens he will be eliminated as well.

 

[blueseal]

i have both rhode island reds and white lehorns i got them a couple months ago they are a year old. the reds are calm birds. but the leghorns are flighty. they run if i walk in the coop they want to get away . i have seen them be laying in nestbox and i open coop door and out they will come right out to the run . they lay good though .

 

[Flannery Eau]

I have a RIR that is about 3 months old and she is extremely friendly! She likes to be held and comes right up to me looking for treats. Whenever one of my dogs gets near and I am holding her, though, she gives a warning chirp and then pecks them square on the nose (good girl!)! She is the youngest and smallest of my 4-chicken flock but I don't expect they will be picking on her as soon as she gets a bit bigger!

 

[Ironmaiden]

Ya know, I think maybe they are like people. Maybe they have different personalities. Dunno. I have 7 RIR hens. Three are freindly and curious. One is a meany and another one is frightened of her own shadow. I do have a Cochin that is almost like a lap dog tho..

 

[Pet Duck Boy]

I have 3 hatchery RIRs, and I couldn't ask for friendlier birds. They all come up to me and beg to be in my lap and all 3 will fall asleep when I pet them. I got mine as day olds and handled them VERY often.

 

[Lola12]

My 7 RIR hens are quite friendly, but I really don't handle them....they always greet me when I come out the pen. They are 15 weeks old and have gotten friendlier as they've gotten older.