So hard to decide who to keep!

[Ribh]

BRs are not lap chicken types IMO. They are calm steady members of a flock, not fearful of humans but don't like being handled. I don't find them birds with outstanding loads of personality, just because they are so calm & steady. I would look @ the flock you already have then @ the BRS & decide which personalities would be the best fit. Personally I probably would not take the lead hen from the group. I figure the runt is bottom so would probably go with whichever hen is no. 3 in the pecking order.

 

[LateBirdFarms]

BRs are not lap chicken types IMO. They are calm steady members of a flock, not fearful of humans but don't like being handled. I don't find them birds with outstanding loads of personality, just because they are so calm & steady. I would look @ the flock you already have then @ the BRS & decide which personalities would be the best fit. Personally I probably would not take the lead hen from the group. I figure the runt is bottom so would probably go with whichever hen is no. 3 in the pecking order.

That's awesome advice! Thank you so much! I'll keep a closer eye on their personal pecking order!

 

[Mamatomany123]

Hopefully my girls turn out as lovely as yours. I understand their fear, they startle easily, but they certainly don't fear me when they see the food bucket. I was merely saying that is the only trait they show at the moment other than gluttony. I'll be keeping them a few more weeks yet, hopefully they'll get used to me coming into the coop to do other things than feed them in the mean time. The only other chick I've had that's been so unsettled was a polish. I'm not a 10 year old who wanders in flailing my arms and squealing, I promise.

Even if you were they would eventually get used to that also. Mine just stare at my kids now

 

[LateBirdFarms]

Even if you were they would eventually get used to that also. Mine just stare at my kids now

That sums up the rest of my ladies to a T... Squealing children usually mean dropped goodies! It's like ringing the dinner bell!

 

[Mamatomany123]

That sums up the rest of my ladies to a T... Squealing children usually mean dropped goodies! It's like ringing the dinner bell!

Yep. My poor 2 year old wont even go outside with food because the chickens chase her down instead

 

[CHlCKEN]

They’re still at that “ew don't touch me!” teenage stage.

 

[NatJ]

I would pick each one up and look her over thoroughly, in case there are problems you have not yet spotted. Check their toes, their wing feathers, their beaks, and anything else you can think of.

Also, pay attention to how they act when you are holding them. They might not like it, but if one accepts it calmly while another flails around trying to escape, I would probably keep the calmer one. When I do need to handle a chicken, I really prefer that she not panic or jump out of my arms!

 

[LateBirdFarms]

I would pick each one up and look her over thoroughly, in case there are problems you have not yet spotted. Check their toes, their wing feathers, their beaks, and anything else you can think of.

Also, pay attention to how they act when you are holding them. They might not like it, but if one accepts it calmly while another flails around trying to escape, I would probably keep the calmer one. When I do need to handle a chicken, I really prefer that she not panic or jump out of my arms!

That's also a very good point! I don't care if my ladies want to be stand offish, but I can't stand a flailing, flogging monster should I need to pick them up. I've had to work a few birds through this issue, but it would be amazing to have a decent start! All very good points that have everything to do with good flock management!
Always appreciate your input!

 

[NatJ]

That's also a very good point! I don't care if my ladies want to be stand offish, but I can't stand a flailing, flogging monster should I need to pick them up. I've had to work a few birds through this issue, but it would be amazing to have a decent start!

When I have a hard decision about which one to keep, I often think about it from the other direction: figure out what I do not like, and decide which ones to remove. Of course it works out to the same thing in the end, but thinking about it differently seems to help.