I love my chickens and they are all very nice chickens, if I do say so. I currently have one Buff Orpington, one Red Rock (Rhode Island Red/ Barred Rock cross), one Columbian Rock, two Black Copper Marans and two Barred Rocks.

I’ve raised all my current chickens from store-bought chicks, except the two newest additions, the Barred Rocks who were purchased from the Poultry Swap last Sunday.

So far, the Marans were flightiest as chicks, with the Red Rock and the Columbian Rock in second. The Buff was a fairly friendly chick, but if you really want a friendly chicken who will not only tolerate but enjoy being picked up, who you will want to bring in the house, who you will allow out to free range after only two days… Who is basically like a puppy dog… You evidently need to get chickens raised by a lovely little British girl who have been given a kiss goodnight every day of their young lives.

I finally understand the concept of the “pet” chicken. I mean, all my chickens are now very friendly and instantly underfoot when I go in the pen. They’re not scared of me, they know I’m the food machine. But these new chickens are a whole different class of bird. They are just so human-bonded and I couldn’t be more grateful to the awesome future farmer girl who raised and sold them to me. Thank you!