Help! Will the red and black sex links peck my eyes out or love me?

[teddiliza]

I switched my order from a nearby hatchery to the sex links because I just can't keep a rooster and really don't want to take that chance with a straight run. I have a two year old......

Are the black and red sex links in your experiences nice enough or should I change my order back to a straight run (Orps and Barred rocks) and have any males for dinner? I figured since they were crosses with fairly friendly birds according to the literature, they might be just fine.

PLEASE COMMENT and I will switch back my order if need be. I don't want my child to fear chickens because I got a mean breed!

Teddi

 

[patandchickens]

I have red sex links (ISA Browns) who are VERY friendly, gentle, calm and personable. And they were acquired as ready to lay pullets so it isn't like they were hand-reared and extensively taught to love people, either (they were a little scatty when I first got them but figured things out real quick, with handling).

Mind, I would be careful about*any* chickens around *anyone's* eyeballs -- even without any malice aforethought, chickens will be chickens

Good luck,

Pat

 

[Frozen Feathers]

All my black sex-links have been sweet and friendly. I love the look of them and I love that they are pretty consistent layers.


I have a two year old, as well and she just adore the chickens, even after being attacked by a naughty rooster. She loves the Silkies mostly, she says they are cute, and will always being carrying one around with her whenever we go out.

DD was 16 months in this picture (or about there) withone of my black stars.

 

[Frozen Feathers]

Pat, really cute pictures!!

 

[patandchickens]

you too Angie

I love the boneless-looking sprawl of the chicken in your daughter's arms

Pat

 

[greyfields]

My sex links are very well behaved. I also have a BSL rooster which was mis-sexed. He's very big and usually has 10 hens following him around, hanging on his every word. So, I don't mind keeping him.

 

[teddiliza]

Thank you for the reassurance! Those pictures were adorable and they really are worth a thousand words!
I'm all excited again!

Teddi

 

[Yardegg]

We have Black Stars (Murray McMurray Hatchery's black sex links) and really like them. They come when I call them, believe it or not. We turn ours loose in the morning and close them up in the coop after dark. In the daytime, they head for our back porch. If I'm not paying attention, or if I'm a little slow to deliver their treat, they peck on the door window to hurry me along. I think they have a little "hybrid vigor" which seems to help on the intelligence scale as well as the physical aspect. Ours have been a delight, and I've ordered a dozen more. No experience with the red sex links, but others say they are sweet as well.

Yardegg