Ok this is the third year in a row that I've bought chicks at a feed store. I've purchased at two different feed stores.
Each time I've bought 6, what are suppose to be pullets, and I've ended up with 3 roosters all three times.
This year in my group I bought 1 Buff Minorca, 1 Silver Laced Wyondotte, 1 New Hamphire, 1, Easter Egger and 2 Amberlink hybrids.
Well the 2 Amberlinks are both roosters and the New Hampshire is as well. I guess the good news is these three birds will have some meat on them so I guess I will let them get to about 5 months or so (or crowing whichever comes first) and put them in the freezer for soups this winter.
Both of these feed stores buy from the same hatchery which will remain nameless as I don't know if its permitted on this site.
So one of two things are going on the hatchery can't sex to save their hind end or the feed stores are buying straight run and charging for pullets.
The feed store has a sign up on each cage and at checkout that if you buy pullets and end up with roosters no refunds or exchanges.
I don't want large numbers of chicks anymore so I don't buy from a hatchery but when I did the hatchery I bought from (based in Iowa) never once made an error in giving me a rooster when I ordered pullets. I know mistakes happen but a 50% ratio seems very very excessive and suspicious to me.
Anyone else have such experiences?
Each time I've bought 6, what are suppose to be pullets, and I've ended up with 3 roosters all three times.
This year in my group I bought 1 Buff Minorca, 1 Silver Laced Wyondotte, 1 New Hamphire, 1, Easter Egger and 2 Amberlink hybrids.
Well the 2 Amberlinks are both roosters and the New Hampshire is as well. I guess the good news is these three birds will have some meat on them so I guess I will let them get to about 5 months or so (or crowing whichever comes first) and put them in the freezer for soups this winter.
Both of these feed stores buy from the same hatchery which will remain nameless as I don't know if its permitted on this site.
So one of two things are going on the hatchery can't sex to save their hind end or the feed stores are buying straight run and charging for pullets.
The feed store has a sign up on each cage and at checkout that if you buy pullets and end up with roosters no refunds or exchanges.
I don't want large numbers of chicks anymore so I don't buy from a hatchery but when I did the hatchery I bought from (based in Iowa) never once made an error in giving me a rooster when I ordered pullets. I know mistakes happen but a 50% ratio seems very very excessive and suspicious to me.
Anyone else have such experiences?