We let a chicken go broody once and she did fine. She hatched out thirteen chicks. We let here free range and sure enough by the time the chicks were only half a year old over half, (seven) had died by drowning, and getting stepped on. Of course that was with the babies. When we had the adults...
Well I feel a bit better about how I was wrong. I tell the gender by looking at their combs. I haven't been wrong till now. I completely forgot that Wyandottes have rose combs. You are right BantamLover21, they are cockerels.
We always get pullets in the spring and every year we bring out the newspaper. We had no problem with spraddle legs until last year when we ordered online and got a silkie with a horrible leg. We tied him up with yarn and he was good as new after a while. Other than that I'd say newspaper unless...