About 95% roosters.

[Lu King]

Being new to raising chickens.....I thought I was getting a good deal when I bought 75 baby chicks from a man who had listed chicks for sell on Craigslist at $2.00 each.

My husband and I have been very busy with other things. He usually takes care of the chicks, and has been telling me how big the little monsters were getting. We were very happy and looking forward to be able to give our family and friends the eggs we expected the "girls" to lay.

Well, we had some relatives over today and they asked why did most of the chicks have "spurs" and a few of the others didn't? We had never noticed those things before, so we had no answer.
We know now!

The guy is still selling baby chicks on Craigslist....and I guess he will probably find someone else to buy them, because we certainly won't be buying from him again.

 

[Up-the-Creek]

How old are they?

 

[Mahonri]

Sounds like you'll be filling your freezer in a couple of months. WOW and 75 of them.

Don't feel badly.

My first incubation attempt only brought me 12 chicks from 41 eggs. Of the 12 it appears that only 3 or 4 are pullets. Guess we'll learn to eat home grown chicken... or sell some of the more beautiful roos.

 

[BellLisamo]

Quote:
please dont think that spurs are only on the roosters.... my polish hen and my lehorn hen have spurs.... its not uncommon for the hens to have them as well

 

[jnjross]

got pics? maybe we can help, my girls have leg bumps, you can't sex a chick by that,

 

[Up-the-Creek]

Quote:
Thats why I asked how old. If they are very young you can't sex them that way.

 

[chookchick]

"Spurs" on the young chicks mean nothing. Most of them have bumps on their legs, and it can not be correlated with sex. There is no way to truly sex a young chick unless they are vent-sexed by an expert at one day old. Unless the guy was buying "just cockerels" from a hatchery, I doubt he sold you all cockerels. I would not pass judgement on him until 3 months or so of age.

 

[cmom]

Please post some pics!!!

 

[silkiechicken]

Yes, pictures along with age of suspected chicks would help.

If they are under 2-3 months old, you'll be looking at combs for early indicators. Spur bumps mean nothing, and spurs can often be on girls and boys as adults. You may have a pile of girls yet!

 

[ThePolishPrincess]

If the chicks were inbred or hatchery stock, they may have spurs no matter the sex. Almost all of my hatchery birds have spurs on them and have showed signs even as baby chicks. Rely on behavior as they get older or looks.