Any ideas on breed and gender?

[SeaSea47]

Sounds like they need a new sexer!!!! Make sure you get your credit since they have a 90% guarantee.

I didn't know they did this. Thank you!

 

[JustBabyMargo]

I think I need to get more hens! I ordered four sexed barred rocks because that was my favorite breed in my last flock, and two of them turned out to be roosters! And they are a little wild, but they're not mean yet, so we'll see what happens...and then my little Leppo Hamburg is apparently a boy. I've got one cochin who is questionable (its comb is a lot redder than the others), but it acts like a big puppy. I can pick him/her up almost as easily as the polishes. This is my first time with cochins, and they're turning out to be my favorites of all the breeds I've ever had, so if any of my roosters have to go, it'll be the barred rocks. The cochins are just so sweet and cuddly.

All from Murray McMurray!? I’ve only had one accidental cockerel out of two orders! Both orders were 20+ chicks too!

 

[SeaSea47]

All from Murray McMurray!? I’ve only had one accidental cockerel out of two orders! Both orders were 20+ chicks too!

Yep! Leppo was unsexed, so I knew he could be a rooster, but the other 21 were supposed to all be hens. This is my second order from them. The first one I split with a friend back in 2015, and half of them arrived dead (that was the fault of the post office who took three days to deliver them - I ended up with six - they've all died since for various reasons), but they were all hens.

 

[JustBabyMargo]

Yep! Leppo was unsexed, so I knew he could be a rooster, but the other 21 were supposed to all be hens. This is my second order from them. The first one I split with a friend back in 2015, and half of them arrived dead (that was the fault of the post office who took three days to deliver them - I ended up with six - they've all died since for various reasons), but they were all hens.

Wow I’m so sorry you’ve had such bad experiences! Could I recommend a different hatchery? I hear Meyer hatchery is the best and they also sell very good quality birds (like breeder quality). Never used it personally but I haven’t heard a single bad thing from them. That’s probably who I’ll order from next when I need any chickens (which should be a while).

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

Yep! Leppo was unsexed, so I knew he could be a rooster, but the other 21 were supposed to all be hens. This is my second order from them. The first one I split with a friend back in 2015, and half of them arrived dead (that was the fault of the post office who took three days to deliver them - I ended up with six - they've all died since for various reasons), but they were all hens.

Two cockerels out of 21 sexed pullets should be expected, since vent sexing is only 90% accurate.

 

[SeaSea47]

Wow I’m so sorry you’ve had such bad experiences! Could I recommend a different hatchery? I hear Meyer hatchery is the best and they also sell very good quality birds (like breeder quality). Never used it personally but I haven’t heard a single bad thing from them. That’s probably who I’ll order from next when I need any chickens (which should be a while).

Nice! I may give them a try. Honestly, my birds from McMurray this last time were so healthy and everything else went so smoothly, and the lady there was so nice when I had to change addresses that I wasn't overly disappointed. I knew the possibility of some mistakes was there. And I'm okay with the roosters - if they work out, great, if not, I have a neighbor who will take them, or I will consider a rooster-only flock. I've got ducks too, and my ratio of drakes to hens isn't awful but isn't ideal. So far, they're all doing okay together, but I am keeping an eye on them too though. It wasn't my goal to end up with a gazillion mini flocks, but I'll do what I have to do to keep everyone happy and healthy.

 

[JustBabyMargo]

Nice! I may give them a try. Honestly, my birds from McMurray this last time were so healthy and everything else went so smoothly, and the lady there was so nice when I had to change addresses that I wasn't overly disappointed. I knew the possibility of some mistakes was there. And I'm okay with the roosters - if they work out, great, if not, I have a neighbor who will take them, or I will consider a rooster-only flock. I've got ducks too, and my ratio of drakes to hens isn't awful but isn't ideal. So far, they're all doing okay together, but I am keeping an eye on them too though. It wasn't my goal to end up with a gazillion mini flocks, but I'll do what I have to do to keep everyone happy and healthy.

Your birds are lucky to have you!

 

[bruceha2000]

I hear Meyer hatchery is the best and they also sell very good quality birds (like breeder quality). Never used it personally but I haven’t heard a single bad thing from them.

I'm starting to sour on Meyer. All but my original 12 birds (from Ideal) have come from Meyer. Their Black Australorps are flawed, they have black legs and yellowish foot bottoms. I got 2 in 2015 and 2 more this June. The 2 from Ideal in 2012 met the breed standard of slate legs and pink/grey foot bottoms. Also, though I think this just happens sometimes, one of the BAs this year has a severe "underbite" that I just noticed a week or so back. The bottom half of the beak is at least 1/4" longer than the top. I think I'm going to have to file it for her entire life. If it gets too long they can't eat well and certainly can't easily pick things up off the ground like bugs or clip grass. This is the first "medical" issue I've had with any of the shipped chicks and have fortunately all have arrived alive.

But the BIG problem and what has me souring is I paid $25 each for 2 Blue Ameraucanas this year. Looking for REALLY blue eggs so I paid the big bucks. The blues will throw 25% splash, 25% black and 50% blue. I got one splash and one black. OK .... BUT! The black has 5 toes on each foot. There is absolutely no way a SOP Ameraucana of any color will have 5 toes. She should never have made it through the sorting process to shipment. Makes me wonder how they got 5 toed genetics in their Ameraucana breeding pool but it shows that their breeders are NOT SOP. Also, she has black legs. Again NO SOP Ameraucana will have black legs, they will be slate. The splash has slate legs. They both have muffs and beards but I wonder with those non Ameraucana traits if the black will even lay blue.

What they are good about is honoring their guarantees, I got my money back on the black and also on a Barnevelder cockerel that was supposed to be a pullet.

 

[JustBabyMargo]

I'm starting to sour on Meyer. All but my original 12 birds (from Ideal) have come from Meyer. Their Black Australorps are flawed, they have black legs and yellowish foot bottoms. I got 2 in 2015 and 2 more this June. The 2 from Ideal in 2012 met the breed standard of slate legs and pink/grey foot bottoms. Also, though I think this just happens sometimes, one of the BAs this year has a severe "underbite" that I just noticed a week or so back. The bottom half of the beak is at least 1/4" longer than the top. I think I'm going to have to file it for her entire life. If it gets too long they can't eat well and certainly can't easily pick things up off the ground like bugs or clip grass. This is the first "medical" issue I've had with any of the shipped chicks and have fortunately all have arrived alive.

But the BIG problem and what has me souring is I paid $25 each for 2 Blue Ameraucanas this year. Looking for REALLY blue eggs so I paid the big bucks. The blues will throw 25% splash, 25% black and 50% blue. I got one splash and one black. OK .... BUT! The black has 5 toes on each foot. There is absolutely no way a SOP Ameraucana of any color will have 5 toes. She should never have made it through the sorting process to shipment. Makes me wonder how they got 5 toed genetics in their Ameraucana breeding pool but it shows that their breeders are NOT SOP. Also, she has black legs. Again NO SOP Ameraucana will have black legs, they will be slate. The splash has slate legs. They both have muffs and beards but I wonder with those non Ameraucana traits if the black will even lay blue.

What they are good about is honoring their guarantees, I got my money back on the black and also on a Barnevelder cockerel that was supposed to be a pullet.

Wow! Really!? I have 3 pullets with crossbeak! But I love them all! I guess all that wouldn’t bother me though because I love unique birds! I have a salmon faverolle from Murray McMurray that doesn’t have muffs! Sorry your experience was so bad.