Barred rocks

[Teresa the chicken lady]

I’m really down and disappointed!!! I’m a new chicken mama. I’m a teacher who loves animals I bought a new house with a huge backyard and new right away I wanted chickens. I researched and researched and decided I wanted barred rocks. I will not eat them they will be my pets. In March I went to the tractor store and got 2 barred rocks pullets and 2 buff Brahma pullets. Well 3 of the 4 turned out to be Roos what luck I have. So I had to try again to give my 1 hen company I got more barred rock pullets and all were Roos. I don’t understand what I’m doing wrong?!?! All of them had a tiny white spot, all had dark wash legs, all had 2 layers of wing feathers at 3 days old, all were promised to be pullets. Now they are 3.5 weeks and all have a comb. Maybe I should never have done this I just can’t seem to get pullets.

 

[RobertaD1]

Have you thought about getting sexlinks? Maybe some golden comets... ISA browns... something that are a guaranteed pullet because of their coloring?

 

[Teresa the chicken lady]

Have you thought about getting sexlinks? Maybe some golden comets... ISA browns... something that are a guaranteed pullet because of their coloring?

How do they guarantee them by color?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

The Tractor supply is notorious for mixing up birds and selling males as females. It might be worth your time to buy from a hatchery, or find another source.

 

[Teresa the chicken lady]

The Tractor supply is notorious for mixing up birds and selling males as females. It might be worth your time to buy from a hatchery, or find another source.

I actually did that the second time. They said they sexed them at hatch and gave a 95% all pullets. So I picked out 3 of the bunch and all were Roos???? I just don’t understand what are the odds?

 

[Rose Quartz]

could you post a picture of their combs? I find that barred rock girls do have a bit of comb growth too, more than other breeds at the same age. But their combs stay orange instead of getting red, by about 4 or 5 weeks.

 

[RobertaD1]

How do they guarantee them by color?

Sexlinks are bred to be sorted by color. Golden comets for example are..female are a darker yellow with some brown strip, males are lighter. I have had terrible luck in the past at farm stores when it comes to getting pullets. I've decided to do a hatchery. Although not 100% correct, they have a better chance of getting it right. ( unless you get a really hard breed to sex, like barnevelders) but when I order laying birds...I get layers
It was my "pretty birds that I ended up with a couple roos".

 

[RobertaD1]

With Barred Rocks, you may have to wait a bit longer.

 

[Teresa the chicken lady]

 

[Teresa the chicken lady]

could you post a picture of their combs? I find that barred rock girls do have a bit of comb growth too, more than other breeds at the same age. But their combs stay orange instead of getting red, by about 4 or 5 weeks.

I posted pictures what do you think?