We received 25 one day-old chicks last week from Cackle Hatchery. 3rd time we have used them over the past 15 years, and as usual they arrived perfectly healthy, with none sickly or DOA. We have a 6 foot by 4 foot brooder, so there should be tons of room. This is the first time we have ordered any RIR's. About the 4th day, we started have a picking problem with one of the RIR's. I had to segregate one poor little barred rock pullet in a little pet carrier to heal. He was picking on her especially. She has recovered fine, and is back in with everybody else. I changed the heat lamp out from a white bulb to a red one but last night or early this morning, he ( I would assume he is a roo, and a mean one at that) must have picked out a new victim. Everything was fine when I left for wade fishing about 5:30 am. My son and daughter were off to work by the time I returned at about 8:00. I caught him picking hard at one of our Buff Orpingtons. He attacked the vent area really hard, just like on the barred rock. To make our too long story short, I got some BlueKote to put on the babies, and found him a little while ago trying to pick the vent at yet another chick. He is now the one isolated in pet carrier prison, so I hope everybody else is safe.
My question since we never had RIR's before- does he just have a "mean gene", or should I expect it from the other four we have of his breed? He came out of a straight run of 5, but none of the others seem to have any problem getting along.
My question since we never had RIR's before- does he just have a "mean gene", or should I expect it from the other four we have of his breed? He came out of a straight run of 5, but none of the others seem to have any problem getting along.
