In need of advice: avoiding an accidental rooster

[curiouseclectic]

I’m in the process of planning for my very first 3 chickens in the late summer/early fall this year. I’ve done a lot of research about what breed would work best for me and fell in love with Ameraucanas. They are supposed to have nice temperaments, lay well, are cold-hardy and I absolutely love the beards However, I live in a suburb and I am not allowed to have roosters. I have done some soul searching and know that having to re-home a rooster would be draining, particularly emotionally, so it isn’t something I want to risk. I’ve read too many stories of people getting male chicks in batches of sexed female chicks to attempt that route.

I would love to get people’s thoughts on the two other strategies I am considering:

a. Get started Ameraucana pullets or adult birds from a hatchery/local farm.

1. Are started pullets more reliably sexed than chicks, or is there still enough ambiguity that I could accidentally get a cockerel?
2. If I managed to get ahold of adult birds, is it possible to tame them enough to be friendly/tolerate being held.
3. Any hatchery/sourcing recommendations?

b. Abandon the idea of Ameraucanas and go with an auto-sexing breed like Bielefelders.

1. When hatcheries send sexed chicks from auto-sexed breeds is it actually more reliable? Has anyone gotten an accidental male in a batch of auto-sexed or sex-linked chicks?
2. Any hatchery/sourcing recommendations?

Any insights or suggestions would be welcome

 

[Iluveggers]

I’m in the process of planning for my very first 3 chickens in the late summer/early fall this year. I’ve done a lot of research about what breed would work best for me and fell in love with Ameraucanas. They are supposed to have nice temperaments, lay well, are cold-hardy and I absolutely love the beards However, I live in a suburb and I am not allowed to have roosters. I have done some soul searching and know that having to re-home a rooster would be draining, particularly emotionally, so it isn’t something I want to risk. I’ve read too many stories of people getting male chicks in batches of sexed female chicks to attempt that route.

I would love to get people’s thoughts on the two other strategies I am considering:

a. Get started Ameraucana pullets or adult birds from a hatchery/local farm.

1. Are started pullets more reliably sexed than chicks, or is there still enough ambiguity that I could accidentally get a cockerel?
2. If I managed to get ahold of adult birds, is it possible to tame them enough to be friendly/tolerate being held.
3. Any hatchery/sourcing recommendations?

b. Abandon the idea of Ameraucanas and go with an auto-sexing breed like Bielefelders.

1. When hatcheries send sexed chicks from auto-sexed breeds is it actually more reliable? Has anyone gotten an accidental male in a batch of auto-sexed or sex-linked chicks?
2. Any hatchery/sourcing recommendations?

Any insights or suggestions would be welcome

If you want friendly birds, hand- raising is really the best way. There are a few autosex choices, Bielefelders & Cream Legbars come to mind (Legbars lay blue eggs too) or sex-link hybrids. If I absolutely had to have pullets, I would go with one of these.

If you are only getting 3, and aren’t sourcing locally, I would suggest Mt Healthy Hatchery. They have a minimum 3 chick order, and have both Legbars & Bielefelders. You could get one of each and a sex-link for the third if you are interested in that!

 

[Kiki]

Welcome. This may help.
Do not trust backyard breeders to sell you pullets.
If you spend a while reading through threads here, you'll learn that people not only tell you they're selling you a certain breed, but they'll also tell you they're selling you female chicks or birds when they are not. Also, you have a less likely of a chance of bringing a disease home if you order chicks from a major hatchery and not a backyard breeder.


https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/➡-poultry-hatcheries-list.1271562/

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

I have to second going with chicks. I've gotten maybe one accidental rooster from buying day-old sexed chicks from major hatcheries. Go ahead and get your Ameraucanas but don't get started pullets because as mentioned above you are much more likely to being home diseases or even the wrong breed. I have done it and had success but also done it and regretted it. Now I hatch my own from fertilized eggs so I have a much higher chance of having roosters but I am so careful about bringing sick birds into my flock now. One of my worst experiences was buying a started pullet who was healthy but brought in a strain of cocci new to my birds and one of my not physically strong (bought as a pullet) birds died of it before I figures out what was wrong. More can go wrong with pullets. Some hatcheries like Murray McMurray sell pullets and that would be a good alternative but buying from other people is not something I risk anymore

 

[nuthatched]

If you get a male, you get sell, eat or give him away. No big deal.

 

[Percheron chick]

I, on the other hand, recommend going with started pullets. I raise and sell 100's of started pullets just for people in your situation. You can't take the chance of ending up with a cockerel plus in the long run, it is cheaper as you aren't investing in all the supplies to raise chicks on a casual basis.
First thing first. Educate yourself about the breeds you are interested in. Even by 10 weeks, a beginner should be able to identify some cockerel traits to where you lessen the chance of taking one home. There are plenty of snakes out there passing off cockerels as pullets so spend the time looking at pictures of chicks at different ages. Pullets and cockerels side by side. Feathering (yes, the fancy pretty ones tend to be the boys), body stance, size, legs, combs and waddles, the "look", are all things to look at. Trust your gut with both the seller and the chicken. Going with autosexing breeds can simplify things but you must know what the sexes look like. 99% of home breeders do not know how to sex chickens past the autosexing ones at hatch so they are sold straight run not something to deal with. Hatcheries average 90%+ accuracy in sexing so there is still a chance of ending up with a boy. I average less than 3% boys.
Ameraucana have not proven to be great layers for me. Best case I get 4/week.
There are a few hatcheries who sell started pullets. I suspect they will be in short supply this year as the hatcheries are able to sell everything they hatch. Also consider shipping will average $100/bird as they go priority overnight. Add the cost of the pullet and it pushes her to $125+.
Finally the best reason to go with started pullets when you are not planning on getting them until fall is not having to wait until spring for eggs.

 

[WallyG74]

Welcome. This may help.
Do not trust backyard breeders to sell you pullets.
If you spend a while reading through threads here, you'll learn that people not only tell you they're selling you a certain breed, but they'll also tell you they're selling you female chicks or birds when they are not. Also, you have a less likely of a chance of bringing a disease home if you order chicks from a major hatchery and not a backyard breeder.


https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/➡-poultry-hatcheries-list.1271562/

Thanks Kiki! I’ll just go ahead and lie on the ground and you can kick me in the ribs too!

 

[Vadard]

I’m in the process of planning for my very first 3 chickens in the late summer/early fall this year. I’ve done a lot of research about what breed would work best for me and fell in love with Ameraucanas. They are supposed to have nice temperaments, lay well, are cold-hardy and I absolutely love the beards However, I live in a suburb and I am not allowed to have roosters. I have done some soul searching and know that having to re-home a rooster would be draining, particularly emotionally, so it isn’t something I want to risk. I’ve read too many stories of people getting male chicks in batches of sexed female chicks to attempt that route.

I would love to get people’s thoughts on the two other strategies I am considering:

a. Get started Ameraucana pullets or adult birds from a hatchery/local farm.

1. Are started pullets more reliably sexed than chicks, or is there still enough ambiguity that I could accidentally get a cockerel?
2. If I managed to get ahold of adult birds, is it possible to tame them enough to be friendly/tolerate being held.
3. Any hatchery/sourcing recommendations?

b. Abandon the idea of Ameraucanas and go with an auto-sexing breed like Bielefelders.

1. When hatcheries send sexed chicks from auto-sexed breeds is it actually more reliable? Has anyone gotten an accidental male in a batch of auto-sexed or sex-linked chicks?
2. Any hatchery/sourcing recommendations?

Any insights or suggestions would be welcome

It sounds like you’re very concerned about the potential rooster issue.

For just 3 hens, I’d try to befriend a local breeder, learn from them, and pay them for 3 full grown hens that were raised right. If you luck out and find the right provider, tell them up front and make it worth their while. You’ll get the layers you want with no risk.

To be clear, I wouldn’t go this route bc I just eat the extra roosters. But I can understand that’s not an option for everyone.

Good luck. And have fun. This stuff is supposed to be enjoyable after all.

 

[curiouseclectic]

Thank you all for your feedback! All great advice. I'll update the thread with what I end up going with and how it goes!

 

[curiouseclectic]

It sounds like you’re very concerned about the potential rooster issue.

For just 3 hens, I’d try to befriend a local breeder, learn from them, and pay them for 3 full grown hens that were raised right. If you luck out and find the right provider, tell them up front and make it worth their while. You’ll get the layers you want with no risk.

To be clear, I wouldn’t go this route bc I just eat the extra roosters. But I can understand that’s not an option for everyone.

Good luck. And have fun. This stuff is supposed to be enjoyable after all.

I am definitely a worrier and a risk-mitigator, so the reminder to have fun is much appreciated I'll see if I can find a breeder nearby and check them out.