Any luck with straight runs?

[Lucy Brown]

How much luck have you guys had with getting pullets when ordering straight runs?

 

[LadiesAndJane]

When you order straight runs from a hatchery you will usually get 50-50 mix. Just remember each bird has a 50% chance of being male or female so you really never know.

 

[LizzzyJo]

How much luck have you guys had with getting pullets when ordering straight runs?

I'm sure that in some places straight run means "unsexed" chicks (50/50). BUT.... in a whole lot of places, straight run means "oh crap, another cockerel, put it in the straight run bin. Also throw one pullet in there for every 10 boys or so..."

 

[eveliens]

Depends on the breed and if the hatchery offers sexed pullets. If the hatchery offers sexed pullets, they fill those orders with sexed pullets first, then they fill the SR with what is left. This gives SR a disproportionate amount of cockerels if a lot of pullets were sold in the same hatch. So if you need specific sexes and it is offered, you will have better luck ordering what you need.

When I ordered bantams, which do not come sexed at all, I got 6 cockerels and 7 pullets. That's pretty close to 50/50. I just bombed on one breed because 4/5 were cockerels and did great on the other which was 1/5 cockerels. The third breed was 1/3 were cockerels.

 

[LizzzyJo]

Depends on the breed and if the hatchery offers sexed pullets. If the hatchery offers sexed pullets, they fill those orders with sexed pullets first, then they fill the SR with what is left. This gives SR a disproportionate amount of cockerels if a lot of pullets were sold in the same hatch. So if you need specific sexes and it is offered, you will have better luck ordering what you need.

Ahhhhh I KNEW IT!! haha!

 

[NatJ]

I'm sure that in some places straight run means "unsexed" chicks (50/50).

Depends on the breed and if the hatchery offers sexed pullets. If the hatchery offers sexed pullets, they fill those orders with sexed pullets first, then they fill the SR with what is left. This gives SR a disproportionate amount of cockerels if a lot of pullets were sold in the same hatch.

Some hatcheries (including McMurray and Ideal) state that straight run chicks have NOT been sorted by sex. So if they follow their own stated policy, those hatcheries will not be filling "straight run" orders with the leftover cockerels. Many hatcheries do have special deals on assorted cockerels, or just leftover chicks (sometimes with a note that the leftovers are mostly cockerels.) But that's not the same as straight run, and tends to be clearly stated.

When I ordered bantams, which do not come sexed at all, I got 6 cockerels and 7 pullets. That's pretty close to 50/50. I just bombed on one breed because 4/5 were cockerels and did great on the other which was 1/5 cockerels. The third breed was 1/3 were cockerels.

I've had similar results with bantams. Yes, it does come out very uneven on a per-breed basis if there are only a few of each breed, but the average works out about right over time.

 

[eveliens]

Some hatcheries (including McMurray and Ideal) state that straight run chicks have NOT been sorted by sex. So if they follow their own stated policy, those hatcheries will not be filling "straight run" orders with the leftover cockerels. Many hatcheries do have special deals on assorted cockerels, or just leftover chicks (sometimes with a note that the leftovers are mostly cockerels.) But that's not the same as straight run, and tends to be clearly stated.


I've had similar results with bantams. Yes, it does come out very uneven on a per-breed basis if there are only a few of each breed, but the average works out about right over time.

Yes, sorry, I should've stated that different hatcheries have different policies and there are rooster specials and/or "extra male chicks for warmth." Thanks for the correction.

 

[Lucy Brown]

Depends on the breed and if the hatchery offers sexed pullets. If the hatchery offers sexed pullets, they fill those orders with sexed pullets first, then they fill the SR with what is left. This gives SR a disproportionate amount of cockerels if a lot of pullets were sold in the same hatch. So if you need specific sexes and it is offered, you will have better luck ordering what you need.

When I ordered bantams, which do not come sexed at all, I got 6 cockerels and 7 pullets. That's pretty close to 50/50. I just bombed on one breed because 4/5 were cockerels and did great on the other which was 1/5 cockerels. The third breed was 1/3 were cockerels.

They only offered SR for Silkies

 

[Lucy Brown]

They only offered SR for Silkies

so that means 50/50 chance of females correct?