Baby chicks

[chickenjordan]

When getting baby chicks from a store like your local tractor supply what are some things to look for to spot girls? We want hens only.

 

[sourland]

Do not buy 'straight run' chicks. Your best bet is sex linked chicks - 100 % guaranteed pullets followed by 'sexed pullets' with about 90% accuracy. TSC is notorious for mixing up breeds of chicks.

 

[chickenjordan]

Thanks for the advice. I have bought the pullets before from them with no issues. But I wanted to try out other types of chickens so had to get from straight run. I figured "hey 50/50 shot" out of 4 I figured I would get two hens. Nope only one. Clearly my hen locating needs some work

 

[Jensownzoo]

Thanks for the advice. I have bought the pullets before from them with no issues. But I wanted to try out other types of chickens so had to get from straight run. I figured "hey 50/50 shot" out of 4 I figured I would get two hens. Nope only one. Clearly my hen locating needs some work

The 50/50 percentage is a statistic that only applies to very large numbers of birds...the larger the sample size, the closer to 50%. It is completely possible to have a hen hatch out all males in a clutch, for example.

 

[sourland]

Frequently straight run numbers will be skewed in the cockerel direction - all a factor of how many pullets were sexed out and selected for the 'pullet shipments'.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

Frequently straight run numbers will be skewed in the cockerel direction - all a factor of how many pullets were sexed out and selected for the 'pullet shipments'.

Agreed. If you go straight run from the feed store, stick to the bantam bin. Most hatcheries don't sex bantams, so they're a more "true" straight run selection (in my opinion, anyway).