Aren't they one in the same, it am I missing something?
Yeah lol just two different ways of saying it, wasn’t sure if one was preferred over the other.
By a few a mean two. I could be wrong. Just saying I don't want any based on the two I love known lol.
It's ok. I'm sure a lot of people have known really awful ones. Just praying my boy doesn't turn out that way. I wonder if other people's were awful all along or if they did a complete 180 all of a sudden?
I agree, personally, I love my RiR hen. She’s super friendly and is good to the other girls and is...polite to my less popular roo. She’s also the only one of my girls to stay committed while broody and successfully hatched her two chicks. I love how their red color gets darker with age. Mine is currently about two and a half years old and she’s gorgeous. Overall I've never had problems with RiRs in the past. I love em and its sad not everyone gets that great experience with them.Ok, I realize this thread is supposed to be for "disliked" breeds, but some people have defended/explained their feelings on some of the breeds mentioned, so I am taking the liberty of doing the same. RIRs have been mentioned so many times without anyone sticking up for them, so I'll be that gal.
Yes, RIRs can be mean/aggressive. I just kind of consider them large and in charge so to speak. They know what they want and they're gonna get it. Unfortunately that sometimes means they want a certain member eliminated from the flock...
But potential meanness aside, they're smart as a whip. When you look into those little raptor eyes you can see them working things out. And they're so naturally curious. Always wanting to see what you're doing and investigating new things. I really love that about them. That inquisitiveness really gives them a zest for life (as opposed to those "boring" breeds that just sit around like lumps. No judgment here. I love those too. Just making a point).
They can be quite people friendly as well. Here is a picture of me when I was 6 with my favorite girl, Redlandy.
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I was all over her, constantly, but she never complained. Just let me hug her, squeeze her, run around with her, etc. Never pecked my eyes out, even though she had ample opportunity. And she was never mean to any of her flock mates. (Our resident terror was a BO "hen".)
And I currently have a little RIR cockerel named ReeBee (bought him as a "sexed" pullet, so his name was Reba, but that didn't exactly work out and the nickname stuck...) and he is literally the sweetest chicken I have. He's been a momma's boy since he was a little chick. Always wanted to be with me. He'd hop up on my legs, into my lap, up onto my shoulder and finally onto my head. He's getting bigger so I don't think he feels as secure perching up there anymore, but I sit down on the ground in their run in a criss-cross-applesauce position, pick him up, set him down where my ankles cross and pet his back. He'll settle into a nice little chicken loaf and nuzzle his head into my chest. I love him to bits.
I was really afraid when he turned out to be a boy, because I had read that RIR roosters are hyper aggressive and super rapey, but of all my cockerels (2 silver spangled hamburgs, 3 silkies and ReeBee) he is the nicest by far. I have observed every single one of the others be mean to/antagonize my girls at one time or another (pulling feathers out/pecking, stepping on, chasing, etc. Don't worry, the vast majority of them will be rehomed soon), but ReeBee has never laid a claw on any of them. He and my barred holland Polly will do the neck feather flare at each other, but then he lets her peck him down, even though he's way bigger/stronger. He's currently 82 days old, and I'm really hoping that when puberty gets into full swing that he doesn't turn into a monster all of a sudden, but for now he is a total sweetie pie, and I will stick my neck out to stand up for his breed. I love Rhode Island Reds.
