Do you think it’s important to raise and socialize your own chicks?

[TaylorGlade]

I would never vent sex, I’m not qualified and wouldn’t want to hurt them doing it. I meant more by noticing other characteristics. I know nothing is really 100% until they lay or don’t.

Yeah. That takes practice. Our first set of 10 vent sexed Australorps turned out to be 9 roos.

After a while, you can start telling a pullet from a roo at about 6 weeks. It won't take long to find your rhythm

 

[No Coop No Problem]

Does this mean the chickens think that humans are chickens too?
Or does it just mean they are not afraid of humans?

There are quite a number of famous cases where birds in zoos imprint on humans or objects, and then attempt to court/mate with the imprinted object. The brains of birds function very differently from mammals

I have also seen human-raised chickens that are scared of unfamiliar humans, so broody-raised ones are not the only chickens that can distinguish familiar humans from other humans.

All chickens are scared of strange humans, but only human-imprinted will easily allow comfort to be established. In other words only my human-imprinted chickens will become friendly with my neighbors

If you are saying that the method of raising is the only thing to make those differences, I think you are wrong. I will happily agree that method of raising could be one factor, just not the only factor.

There are a variety of factors I'm sure

 

[SourRoses]

I think it's most important that chicks be raised well, no matter who does it. It's most likely for a compassionate owner to be the one who provides that good care. But an experienced keeper or breeder can turn out really friendly chickens just by being humane and aware of the birds emotional as well as physical needs.
By emotional needs, I'm talking about what they don't experience more than what they do.
Not being handled roughly, not being scared frequently.
Regular noises of living present for them to get used to without becoming threats. For example:
Regular noise of dog barking
vs
Dog barking and snapping at the wire between them...
The second scenario is one that will teach chicks to startle at the sight of dogs.
Likewise, well meaning keepers can traumatize their chicks with handling. Most problematic, they often miss seeing what they've done wrong. Whereas a different new keeper may have a more observant and sensitive manner with their chicks, and get a completely different result.

One of my two most friendly hens came from a breeder who had an aloof but competent manner with her birds. Susie Q always wants to know what you're doing and follows us around.
The second friendly hen I raised myself, she "talks" to me with her low whistles when she sees me.
That's out of a LOT of chickens we have raised. I don't try to make them pets but some make themselves into pets. Most are just happy to be about their own business, and I'm happy to watch them without them acting scared of me.
We raised most of them in our hang-out outside areas, like on the back porch, but with a hands-off approach. So they got used to everything without thinking we were going to pounce on them. In that way, even our Leghorns turned out relatively calm.

 

[Witchychickens]

It's well worth the effort. We are in the middle of our first hatch right now. One hatched last night and expecting the other 5 any time. I love raising chicks too.
That's also why David wanted Australorps. Our first batch turned out to be 9 roosters. So I prefer auto sexing breeds. But Australorps are great birds. Beautiful plumage, wonderful temperments and lots of eggs.

We were gonna start with pullets till we saw how pricey that

I think it's most important that chicks be raised well, no matter who does it. It's most likely for a compassionate owner to be the one who provides that good care. But an experienced keeper or breeder can turn out really friendly chickens just by being humane and aware of the birds emotional as well as physical needs.
By emotional needs, I'm talking about what they don't experience more than what they do.
Not being handled roughly, not being scared frequently.
Regular noises of living present for them to get used to without becoming threats. For example:
Regular noise of dog barking
vs
Dog barking and snapping at the wire between them...
The second scenario is one that will teach chicks to startle at the sight of dogs.
Likewise, well meaning keepers can traumatize their chicks with handling. Most problematic, they often miss seeing what they've done wrong. Whereas a different new keeper may have a more observant and sensitive manner with their chicks, and get a completely different result.

One of my two most friendly hens came from a breeder who had an aloof but competent manner with her birds. Susie Q always wants to know what you're doing and follows us around.
The second friendly hen I raised myself, she "talks" to me with her low whistles when she sees me.
That's out of a LOT of chickens we have raised. I don't try to make them pets but some make themselves into pets. Most are just happy to be about their own business, and I'm happy to watch them without them acting scared of me.
We raised most of them in our hang-out outside areas, like on the back porch, but with a hands-off approach. So they got used to everything without thinking we were going to pounce on them. In that way, even our Leghorns turned out relatively calm.

This is all great information. Thank you. I will keep it in mind