Dominant in mixed flocks — plan your flock carefully

Rhode Island Reds are confident and can bully gentler breeds in a mixed flock. I made the mistake of adding Silkies to an established RIR flock and the Silkies were persistently picked on. Separating them or choosing breeds of similar confidence is important. Within a pure RIR flock there's a clear pecking order that's established quickly and maintained with minimal drama. Just be careful with mixed-breed introductions.