They are still being so mean!

[careeka22]

Out of curiosity, was your instigator your RIR?

Black Australorp

 

[Chick-N-Fun]

T

Black Australorp

I was curious b/c I had to rehome my RIR and barred rock for being too aggressive after recently merging my flock. Both breeds are prone to be more aggressive, I have recently learned.

 

[careeka22]

I had a hen that was the alpha. She would beat up the younger birds and she had a partner that would get involved when she did. I did remove them and put them in jail for awhile. I put them back in their pen after a couple weeks in jail and they started in again so I put them back in jail for another couple of weeks. Blue was my main instigator and Violet was second. After the second round in jail I put them back in the flock and Blue was still aggressive but Violet was better. I cut a second pop door in the coop because I had the feeders inside the coop and Blue would stand in the doorway and not let the other in to eat so I also put a hanging feeder and waterer under cover in their run so Blue couldn't stand guard over everything. When she got the chance she would attack one of the younger gals and one day while she was on one of the others I had a hose at the coop. She didn't even know I was there as she was so intent on beating up one of the pullets. I squirted her good with the hose and really startled her. She ran in to the coop and didn't come out for quite awhile. I made a habit of going out to the coop many times a day. I caught her several more times beating up on one of the others. Each time I would squirt her with the hose (it was a 3/4 hose with a fire nozzle on the end) so it would squirt pretty hard and far. If she saw me she would get off and run. She did eventually slow up but every once in awhile she would beat up on one of the others. Eventually I had a lot of birds, mostly males, I needed to get rid of so I took them to an auction. I took Blue too. Life was good after that.

Wow! Yeah I've been telling at them, chasing them away, etc and not helping. They are such sweet hens to us I wasn't expecting this.

I was curious b/c I had to rehome my RIR and barred rock for being too aggressive after recently merging my flock. Both breeds are prone to be more aggressive, I have recently learned.

I have read that too with RIRs I had one though that was so sweet but a dog got her. I haven't had issues with my rir and barred pullets but the rir does try to stand her ground the most. I'm hoping once my roo matures maybe he will put them in place but he's not even crowing yet.

 

[aart]

At 16 weeks your cockerel is just starting to really 'feel his oats'.
The hens will keep him in his place until he earns mating rights,
then he might be able to enforce some order.
The pullets won't be working their way up in the pecking order until they start to lay.
Even long established adult flocks will have pecking and chasing status battles.

 

[cmom]

I have read that too with RIRs I had one though that was so sweet but a dog got her. I haven't had issues with my rir and barred pullets but the rir does try to stand her ground the most. I'm hoping once my roo matures maybe he will put them in place but he's not even crowing yet.

From my experience hatchery RIR's are more aggressive than pure heritage breeds. I raise both Rose Comb and Single Comb Rhode Island Reds and I have not had a mean one. In the past I have had some Hatchery Reds and they were more aggressive.

 

[Trish1974]

A lot of it is just the nature of the beast (to a degree of course). Hens are like mean teenage girls.