Arizona Chickens

[countrygirl74]

I am sooooooo frustrated!!

When I ordered my batch of chicks from Ideal Poultry, I specifically asked for all hens - NO MALES, not even any to keep the others warm in transit as suggested. I was willing to take responsibility for any losses. I asked them to not throw in any extras or anything. The only straight run I ordered were 3 silkies and I knew I could get roos in there.

Well, here we are about 4 months later... our FAVORITE hen started crowing this morning. A beautiful Americauna which I was hoping to get pretty eggs from. They also DID send me an EXTRA Australorp which also turned out to be a rooster and is now crowing too. Then, next thing I know, our one and only speckled sussex they sent me is starting to crow. And from what I can tell, 2 of the silkies (the blue and red) are both roos.

That leaves me with 1 white silkie hen, 2 barred plymouth rocks, 1 rhode island red, 1 Americauna, and 2 australorps that are scaring me a bit with looking like roos. Do Australorp hens have bigger combs and wattles then other breeds?

That's like 5 roosters to 7 hens and that's if I'm lucky and the other 2 Australorps are hens. I expected that there may be some error in sexing, like maybe I would end up with 1 roo or something but this is ridiculous. I am going to have to start all over with getting enough hens for the eggs I want to get and butcher some of our favorites. Is there a more accurate place to order chickens from?

 

[Mama Hen Chris]

I am sooooooo frustrated!!

When I ordered my batch of chicks from Ideal Poultry, I specifically asked for all hens - NO MALES, not even any to keep the others warm in transit as suggested. I was willing to take responsibility for any losses. I asked them to not throw in any extras or anything. The only straight run I ordered were 3 silkies and I knew I could get roos in there.

Well, here we are about 4 months later... our FAVORITE hen started crowing this morning. A beautiful Americauna which I was hoping to get pretty eggs from. They also DID send me an EXTRA Australorp which also turned out to be a rooster and is now crowing too. Then, next thing I know, our one and only speckled sussex they sent me is starting to crow. And from what I can tell, 2 of the silkies (the blue and red) are both roos.

That leaves me with 1 white silkie hen, 2 barred plymouth rocks, 1 rhode island red, 1 Americauna, and 2 australorps that are scaring me a bit with looking like roos. Do Australorp hens have bigger combs and wattles then other breeds?

That's like 5 roosters to 7 hens and that's if I'm lucky and the other 2 Australorps are hens. I expected that there may be some error in sexing, like maybe I would end up with 1 roo or something but this is ridiculous. I am going to have to start all over with getting enough hens for the eggs I want to get and butcher some of our favorites. Is there a more accurate place to order chickens from?

Miss Sophie my Black Australorp at 4.5 months old

 

[countrygirl74]

Miss Sophie my Black Australorp at 4.5 months old

Okay, now I'm even more scared. All my Australorps already have way bigger combs than that and small wattles too. I will try to post some pics of all my chickens soon so you can all see what I am talking about. Ideal claims a 90% accuracy rate, but it's beginning to look like with my order it was 90% male! I can't get a refund either because they only refund on orders over 25 and I only did 11 plus the extra one they sent which makes 12. I really hope that I don't have to eat the majority of my flock. I have invested so much into these guys waiting for my first eggs...

 

[Arizonachicken]

Anyone else had this horrible intestinal garbage that's going around?

I'm afraid I WON'T die.

My sister is a doc at an urgent care...there's a lot of NASTY stuff going around including Norovirus. Also people with the flu who have been vaccinated for it. It's not as severe, though...or so they say!

 

[Mama Hen Chris]

Okay, now I'm even more scared. All my Australorps already have way bigger combs than that and small wattles too. I will try to post some pics of all my chickens soon so you can all see what I am talking about. Ideal claims a 90% accuracy rate, but it's beginning to look like with my order it was 90% male! I can't get a refund either because they only refund on orders over 25 and I only did 11 plus the extra one they sent which makes 12. I really hope that I don't have to eat the majority of my flock. I have invested so much into these guys waiting for my first eggs...

Miss Sophie around 3 weeks old


Was supposed to be Miss Apolonia ( named after my mom) but turned out to be Apollo
He crowed at 9 weeks

 

[Demosthine]

My sister is a doc at an urgent care...there's a lot of NASTY stuff going around including Norovirus. Also people with the flu who have been vaccinated for it. It's not as severe, though...or so they say!

Wow, that's the opposite of what the people I know have said. The ones that were vaccinated for flu have said it was the worst time of their life. They all got it within a week of getting the vaccine, usually about three days later. But yes, it's all nasty stuff going on. I work in the jails and we see it come in all the time. These people look like they're on their death beds! It's gotta be rough.

 

[Demosthine]

My wife EMailed me that she went outside and couldn't find the older girls, Christine and Sleepy. She could hear them, but didn't see them. Finally, she realized they were up on the playground equipment! Here are a few photos. I guess since the dogs are gone, their are completely claiming the yard as theirs!

​

 

[Beckyhsinglsc]

I am sooooooo frustrated!!

When I ordered my batch of chicks from Ideal Poultry, I specifically asked for all hens - NO MALES, not even any to keep the others warm in transit as suggested. I was willing to take responsibility for any losses. I asked them to not throw in any extras or anything. The only straight run I ordered were 3 silkies and I knew I could get roos in there.

Well, here we are about 4 months later... our FAVORITE hen started crowing this morning. A beautiful Americauna which I was hoping to get pretty eggs from. They also DID send me an EXTRA Australorp which also turned out to be a rooster and is now crowing too. Then, next thing I know, our one and only speckled sussex they sent me is starting to crow. And from what I can tell, 2 of the silkies (the blue and red) are both roos.

That leaves me with 1 white silkie hen, 2 barred plymouth rocks, 1 rhode island red, 1 Americauna, and 2 australorps that are scaring me a bit with looking like roos. Do Australorp hens have bigger combs and wattles then other breeds?

That's like 5 roosters to 7 hens and that's if I'm lucky and the other 2 Australorps are hens. I expected that there may be some error in sexing, like maybe I would end up with 1 roo or something but this is ridiculous. I am going to have to start all over with getting enough hens for the eggs I want to get and butcher some of our favorites. Is there a more accurate place to order chickens from?

So, of the 8 pullets you ordered 2-4 are roosters?
Wow! I've ordered a lot of chicks from Ideal and have never had that happen. I've had 36 chicks from them and only 2 that were supposed to be pullets turned out to be roosters(one was a sex-link). That's a 94% pullet rate.
Post pictures! maybe it isn't as bad as you think?

 

[Mahonri]

I ordered polish from Ideal. They were supposed to be straight run. Most are roos.

 

[flower]

I never order staight run anymore. If they advertise pullets, I order and pay for pullets. I know that you do not have that choice with bantams and Polish from Ideal but I've seen other hatcheries that do advertise pullets in the Polish breed. It is tough to have too many rooster, I have been there. I have been getting my chicks from BYC peeps also.