Why do my Easter Eggers always get beat up??

[amysflock]

This is my second flock, hatched out of fertile eggs left behind by my prior flock, which was killed by coyotes. The parent flock consisted of Red and Black Sex Link hens, Easter Egger hens, and a Black Australorp roo. For whatever reason 2 of my 3 EEs were always picked on by the other hens (I housed them separately after a while but they still got picked on when free ranging).

My new little flock is six weeks old, and last night I had two die from extreme picking (both EE crosses), and pulled the living EE out as she had been picked on. (Two other black ones and my runt were also picked on and have been separated.)

What is it about EEs that gets them picked on?? Or, conversely, what is it about the Red Sex Link or Black Sex Link that causes them to do the picking?? (I think it's the Reds more than the blacks.)

What are your experiences with EE and sex link personalities?

Thanks...

 

[nicalandia]

the EE are of a nicer type and prolific layers are of a not so nicer type....

 

[lux_interior]

I have two EE's and two Ameraucanas,and they get picked on somewhat, but they are younger and were introduced last....

 

[Anne]

In my experience, sex links are extremely aggressive, and easter eggers often are not. It's the huge discrepancy in personality types that is causing the problem, I think.

 

[amysflock]

Quote:
That's what I was wondering. The Black Sex Links from my last flock were nicer than the Reds for sure. I had actually told my hubby than when I was ready for replacement hens I wasn't going to do Reds again, but then the coyote took everyone and I happened to have 4 doz fertile eggs at room temp, unwashed, so my friend incubated 30 for me and I took the 19 hatchlings home. Kind of a crap shoot on that one. With the Black Australorp daddy I ended up with 5 black-spotted white chicks (1 or 2 pullets, the rest roos) and everyone else black. I could identify the EEs by cheek feathers, and the first one that died in the fracas yesterday had a mottled beak like the other two EE chicks so I'm guessing it was my third EE. (I would have liked to have had more than 3 EEs hatch out of 6).

I will cull the more aggressive chicks out of my current flock if I can determine who's who, and then maybe think of getting a few of different breeds to fill the gaps later on.

Would Barred Rocks or Buff Orps do ok with EEs? Any other suggestions? I'm tired of aggression...I want gentle breeds.

Thank you!!!

 

[Judy]

Buff Orps might be your best bet, as they seem to be pretty universally docile. Barred Rocks seems to vary more, some are sweet docile pets but others have problems. I'm saying this mostly from reading here. I currently have one roo of each breed and they are both docile (and low in the pecking order.)

 

[pbjmaker]

I have 2 EE's and they are both fairly dominant in their personalities. The oldest one (1 year) doesn't take cr*p from nobody and her daughter(13ish weeks) seems to be heading that same direction. I have seen the mother beat the b'jeebers out of our alpha roo.

The 13 week old has two red sex links that she was raised with and they all get along just fine.

I will say the RSL's are very aggressive about food compared to the rest of the juvienals (sp). They are always first in line to get the treats and will steal from anyone regardless of pecking order.