Newbie with ?s pullet vs chick, quietest breed, etc

[barg]

How important is it to you that you have a friendly chicken?
Is it worth a 10% chance of getting a roo.

Barred Rocks and Dominiques are easier to sex at day one then they are to sex at a few weeks old.
Their coloring gives it away fairly effectively.

Maybe you can find an older pullet that is friendly...
We are about to get a couple more, the idea is to keep one since were kind of at our limit, which means we'de be giving away or selling a pullet that was given every chance to be friendly(and probably will be), I'm sure there are others out there that do the same when they get more then they want because of shipping minimums etc...

Check craigs list you might find one or more there.

 

[poppycat]

I live in a very similar situation to what you are describing. I would definitely recommend raising chicks. The benefits far outweigh the risks of getting a rooster. JMHO.
Chickens aren't that hard to train though. Once they figure out where their food comes from. Some like to be handled more than others though regardless of what you do. I have two that won't let me pick them up without skwaking, four that are indifferent to being handled and one snuggler.

 

[equine chick]

I also reccomend the gold comet sex links, i got some with my last order and they literally hop right up in your lap. Mine are only 4 weeks old and i highly reccomend them if you don't want a roo. My buff orpingtons and delawares are my favorites with the sex links a close third. I also have americaunas, though a nice bird a little flighty.
Where are you located, maybe soneone on here might be able to help you find some since you are looking only for a few birds.

 

[4myHennyPenny]

I'm just outside Boulder, Colorado. If anyone has tips on finding birds near there, that'd be great!

Yes, it is very important for us to have friendly birds; for this reason, I think I agree with an earlier post and would probably risk the 10% roo with the chicks.

So it's sounding like people have found it easier to raise friendlier hens when they've had the from chicks as opposed to purchasing them when they are 5 mos. old pullets, is that correct?

 

[barg]

Here is the thing.
If you don't get them young, you're going to miss out on the fun of posting on this forum in panic every week, worried about your chicks being roosters, take a look at my posts, Getting there is half the fun, its like christmas, and then when ya finally figure out you really got what you wanted, despite all the panic episodes, and people who told you, you had a roo, its so nice.

Hows that for a run on sentance.

Have fun! Can't wait to see your pics and your, "Is this a rooster" posts... I just finished up with mine about a week ago... Now watch, one of my pullets will start to crow :lol
Oh btw, we have a feed store that sells late so they dont have to worry about chicks dying of cold en route... maybe you do too.

Seems to me all the feed stores all over the country get their chicks from the same hatcheries. Why not let them take the risk in shipping and buy, locally, the ones that were the strongest...
Just a thought.