Help Sexing, think breeder gave me boys on purpose

[JenEgrrrL]

I’m a devastated new chicken mama! Less than 2 weeks ago, I paid $130 for 7 young chickens, with the assumption/understanding that the more grown out they were, the more likely you could tell they were pullets. The 1st & only flock I’ve ever cared for was an established group of laying hens that were all about 2 yrs old so I don’t have any experience yet with sexing young ones. I put my trust in the breeder who told me they were straight run, but she tried her best to pick hens. Spending only a few days’ time with them, I really felt like I was given about 70% cockerels- 5 out of 7 of them I’m now thinking- because in the morning when I turn them out, they fluff out their neck feathers, run at each other, bump chests & jump up with their feet extended! I’ve never seen our other flock of hens behave such ways. I bought them on 7/5 and most were 3 months old or close to it, so upon further research when I got home it seems she really should’ve known at that age. Can you all please help me? Turns out, the breeder is gaining a reputation in our area for a high rooster to hen ratio and it sounds like a growing amount of chicken folk will not be purchasing from her farm in Hesperus anymore. She does have a rooster return policy that she shared with me when I told her how many cockerels I thought I was ending up with for such a high price: taking them back for 2 half-priced chicks. But I think I’m done wasting money on her operation, as I feel she gave me what she had left at those higher prices rather than being honest & having me buy from a younger, less picked-through hatch group. Here are the types & hatch dates:

2 Olive Eggers (4/6), Easter Egger (4/6), Lav Ameraucana (4/6), 2 Marans (4/13), and a Fibro (4/20). I think maybe I only have one OE and 1 Marans pullets. Shouldn’t she have been able to tell at those ages? I mean, within 2 days of having them it seemed apparent I had at least 3 cockerels, and as of Monday, it seems more like 5... and I know nothing of sexing chickens! I feel stupid for not speaking up about the super obvious Marans cockerel that had copper hackle feathers & all- he’s the dominant, and has been crowing for 6 days now for goodness sakes. Here are pics:
OE #1 (14.5 wks):

OE #2 (14.5 wks):

EE (14.5 wks):

Lavender Ameraucana (14.5 wks):

Marans #1 (13.5 wks):

Marans #2 (13.5 wks):

Fibro (12.5 wks):

Thanks in advance. I’m feeling pretty taken advantage of for my lack of knowledge. I appreciate all feedback!

 

[sourland]

The Marans are both cockerels, and the one EE is a cockerel. I believe the others are pullets.

 

[Wezdin]

I agree with sour, Maybe the fibro is a cockerel, not sure yet.

 

[Mr Beaks]

Also in agreement with @sourland.
Lovely flock regardless.

 

[JenEgrrrL]

Thank you all for the input, I’m encouraged that at least the OE’s & Ameraucana may lay for me. That’s one more than I thought I ended up with

 

[Frazzemrat1]

agreed, three cockerels. Which is better then you thought, and the risk you take with buying straight run.
Keep in mind... chest bumping is perfectly normal for chickens of both genders. Its how they establish dominance and the pecking order.

 

[JenEgrrrL]

agreed, three cockerels. Which is better then you thought, and the risk you take with buying straight run.
Keep in mind... chest bumping is perfectly normal for chickens of both genders. Its how they establish dominance and the pecking order.

Tell me though, as seemingly easy as it was for you folks to sex them from a few photos each, surely the woman actually specializing in those breeds should have known she was giving me all those cockerels at 3 months old yes? From what I’ve read on here in my searches, for the trained eye the accuracy is close to like 99% at the age I purchased them isn’t it?

 

[Frazzemrat1]

At that age, those marans were probably obvious. Some cockerels show early... some don't.
For instance... This is a cockerel I bought from a breeder via the internet. I picked him out, on purpose. He's about 4 weeks in this pic, and obviously a boy looking at his comb. That's w/out taking into account that his breed color is auto sexing and the males look completely different from the females.

Here he is at 6 weeks. Bet you can figure out which one he is... The other two are pullets.

Keep in mind, he's easy... Some hide their maleness better. Some don't pop a comb until their older.

 

[cstephens1987]

I only see two cockerels (the marans). That single combed EE does not look developed enough to me at almost 15 weeks to be a male.

 

[Acre4Me]

Yes, I agree with you @JenEgrrrL, the breeder should've known. But, maybe she felt ok with giving you any cockerels bc she is selling them as straight run, so 3/7 being male is about straight run expectations. Also, just like certain promotions at retail stores who rely on some people not sending in the forms for rebate or whatever just so they can make bigger promises, the breeder offers to take back the males ....but you have to buy 2 more females at a discount. So, breeder wins, really whether you don't return or you return the birds.

For the amount of money you paid, and at the age of the chickens she sold you, the breeder should feel embarrassed "having done their best to pick out the females".

Good luck in the future- now you know a thing or two about sexing that you didn't know before, as well as who NOT to buy from in the future.