Any tips for picking pullets from the straight run bin?

[FyshWyfe]

An old lady at our feed store was hanging chicks by their feet and only taking the ones that didn't go limp- said the pullets will pull up against gravity. She said she's been doing this for years and years and has only pulled a few cockerels. I didn't try it b/c I already have my chicks for this year, but it got me wondering if anybody else out there has any clever old wives' tale ways of picking from the straight run bins.
Anybody want to share how they choose?

 

[luvchicks8]

I pick the one I like the best and put it back then I pick one that is my least favorite that's usually the pullet

 

[Hegatha]

Usually I pick the ones with the most feather growth. Hens get feathers in faster.

 

[hinkjc]

I would tell the woman who picks them up by their feet to take all of the ones she does this to home with her, as she is likely giving them slipped tendons.

There is no easy way to tell a pullet from a cockerel unless they are vent sexed at a hatchery - and even then they are not guaranteed 100%. Not all breeds can be feather sexed by fast feathering hens. They have to be bred for it - fast feathering rooster to a slow feathering hen produces fast feathering pullets and slow feathering cockerels. If they're not bred for it, it's luck of the draw.

Some can be selected if they are sex-linked. For instance red sexlinks and barred rocks are easy to tell visually as pullets vs cockerels in most cases.

 

[clarmayfarm]

The best tip would be to pull from another bin labeled "pullets"!. Straight runs from hatcheries are the leftover chicks after they sell their pullets via mail/online order. in other words, one bin may contain the 50-50, but most will be 60-40, or even 80-20 with more roos.

 

[hennyannie]

I could tell you how to pick roos from the SR bin. I am an expert! LOL

 

[Fred's Hens]

Straight run what? Some breeds are easier than others.
Agree. Straight run too often means an overwhelming number of roos.

 

[FyshWyfe]

So what do you look for in a barred rock? (pardon my ignorance)
Our feed store doesn't have sexed chicks :-(

 

[Fred's Hens]

Dark fuzz and no head dot, or very small, very small circular head dot. Irregular splotches on the head indicates roo. It is not fool proof, but it is closer than most.

 

[Judy]

Fred's Hens :

Dark fuzz and no head dot, or very small, very small circular head dot. Irregular splotches on the head indicates roo. It is not fool proof, but it is closer than most.

Right, plus pullets may have a "dark wash" on the fronts of the legs -- as if someone gave them a swipe with watery watercolor black paint. Roos won't.​