: usually easy to catch and pick up; tolerant of children; sex linked so you don't have to fret over whether she's a he
: can be mean to younger chickens, if you introduce a new flock of chicks
I have a small flock, and I purchase my chickens from mypetchicken.com in small batches. I usually fret over whether or not my chicks are male or female, but with Red Stars, you do not have to worry...the males and females have differing feather colors upon hatching.
I find the Red Stars to be friendly, easy to catch and pick up, and good layers. They are the perfect 'starter' chicken for a family with children.
While I used to agree with the other reviews about them being rather homely looking, I have changed my opinon. I currently have four Red Stars and they are each uniquely beautiful. Some are more orange, some are more white, some are copper. The look so nice when the free range in green grass.