The Heritage Rhode Island Red Site

[immyjay54]

Anyone have any experience with their RIR getting a bit aggressive around the time to start laying?

Don't know if you have the old red's like most of us on here are talking about or if you have hatchery stock but I can tell you 100% that the hatchery stock will get aggressive. I have never had any of my HRIR's get aggressive at any time. I reach right under mine and get eggs etc and they don't even peck me. They will growl a little but I don't worry about that. I even give them a few pets on the head/breast after getting the eggs out. lol Even the broody hens are not mean.
Jim

 

[RedRidge]

Quote: Thanks Jim for the brain tickler.
I do have every email from him... it's the phone conversations that tend to go off on tangents and my brain goes on overload. He is a wealth of information.

 

[Onyx9370]

Don't know if you have the old red's like most of us on here are talking about or if you have hatchery stock but I can tell you 100% that the hatchery stock will get aggressive. I have never had any of my HRIR's get aggressive at any time. I reach right under mine and get eggs etc and they don't even peck me. They will growl a little but I don't worry about that. I even give them a few pets on the head/breast after getting the eggs out. lol Even the broody hens are not mean.
Jim

Yes I got mine from a local feed store, so I'm certain they are hatchery stock. A peck here and there is one thing, but one pullet will actually attack. She tried to flog me like a roo would, ran up flapping and jumping and clawing at me, and bit me on the foot. It's only been within the last couple weeks so I wasn't sure if onset of lay had anything to do with it. Out of all of mine they have been the least inclined for human company but this is a first with the attacking.

 

[ronott1]

Yes I got mine from a local feed store, so I'm certain they are hatchery stock. A peck here and there is one thing, but one pullet will actually attack. She tried to flog me like a roo would, ran up flapping and jumping and clawing at me, and bit me on the foot. It's only been within the last couple weeks so I wasn't sure if onset of lay had anything to do with it. Out of all of mine they have been the least inclined for human company but this is a first with the attacking.

She will calm down in a couple of weeks or so. Production Reds will get like that at Point of Lay.

Are you on a list to get an old strain of Heritage RIR?

 

[immyjay54]

Yes I got mine from a local feed store, so I'm certain they are hatchery stock. A peck here and there is one thing, but one pullet will actually attack. She tried to flog me like a roo would, ran up flapping and jumping and clawing at me, and bit me on the foot. It's only been within the last couple weeks so I wasn't sure if onset of lay had anything to do with it. Out of all of mine they have been the least inclined for human company but this is a first with the attacking.

Don't know if you have all hens or not but if you do have any cockerels, be careful especially if you have smaller children. The boys will get ya. They can be as good as watch dogs. I hadn't noticed so much with hens but I have had to deal with quite a few cross roo's over the years before I started with pure stock. lol All I can tell you is to be careful. I have a few of the mixed stuff in my layer flock and sometimes my hands look like I was in a cat fight.
Jim

 

[Onyx9370]

Don't know if you have all hens or not but if you do have any cockerels, be careful especially if you have smaller children. The boys will get ya. They can be as good as watch dogs. I hadn't noticed so much with hens but I have had to deal with quite a few cross roo's over the years before I started with pure stock. lol All I can tell you is to be careful. I have a few of the mixed stuff in my layer flock and sometimes my hands look like I was in a cat fight.
Jim

No they are all pullets, and it's just the one that has been behaving that way, another is a bit grumpy. But all the others are much more calm. Maybe one day I will get a few heritage thanks for the help

 

[Fred's Hens]

Really not intended in any way to be cruel or snarky, but I have the opposite problem with our old Kittle line birds, They don't want to get out from under foot. I've never had to chase one down either. Just bend over and pick one up. Never saw anything quite this friendly. Sometimes it is a pain. You about trip over them.

So what's the term for the opposite of human aggressive? LOL

 

[Onyx9370]

Glad to hear she should calm down. No I'm not on any lists to get any. This is my first year with chickens so I was/am a bit cluless when it comes to the breed strains. I got all of mine at the feed store. I did know though that hatchery birds aren't of as good a quality as breeder birds. But I'm not concerned with getting the best of the best right now. Although I am very interested in several of the heritage breeds (that's mostly what I got even though they are hatchery quality so not the best). I was just curious about my one girl, she hasn't really attempted anything in the last couple days, so hopefully the worst is over. Thanks so much!

 

[Onyx9370]

Really not intended in any way to be cruel or snarky, but I have the opposite problem with our old Kittle line birds, They don't want to get out from under foot. I've never had to chase one down either. Just bend over and pick one up. Never saw anything quite this friendly. Sometimes it is a pain. You about trip over them.

So what's the term for the opposite of human aggressive? LOL

Lol mine are kind of like that when I have the feed bucket, all of them underfoot. But try to catch one and they are as far away as possible. Silly birds

 

[immyjay54]

Really not intended in any way to be cruel or snarky, but I have the opposite problem with our old Kittle line birds, They don't want to get out from under foot. I've never had to chase one down either. Just bend over and pick one up. Never saw anything quite this friendly. Sometimes it is a pain. You about trip over them.

So what's the term for the opposite of human aggressive? LOL

Hey Fred, I fully understand what you are saying. When I open the gate to go in one of the lots I have to turn my foot sideways and push the chickens out of the way to sit my food down. lol And yes, they will trip you up really quick.