BR all roos?

[billbob]

I am a new chicken owner and bought 9 Barred Rocks from a straight run at the feed store. I picked chick's with smaller head spots and ones that were darker overall.

Looking for information I came upon BYC. I have been reading tons and this website is a great source of info. I have learned for sexing BR pullets.

1. Dark down the front of their legs.
2. Small more distinct head spot.
3. As they grow less barring and dark not silvery down.

Most of my chicks have dark front of legs. Pretty much all of them are tuning light in color. Some are growing tail feathers other are not. A couple have huge legs the others smaller. Some combs are pretty big, none are turning red yet. The chicks will be three weeks old in a couple of days.

Was the supposed straight run a run of roosters? Should I give it a little more time? Thanks so much for your help. Here are pics.

Day olds. There is a ((golden sebright and I don't know the white bantam)

At almost three weeks

Here are my light feathers.

Growing up

Also what am I? Assorted bantam #2

What am I? Assorted bantam #3 This is our nicest chicken along with the sebright that really likes people.

Thanks so much for your help.

 

[speckledhen]

You definitely have some roosters in there. The dark on those leg fronts is not as dark as most pullets. Geez, did they have all roosters in the straight run bin, LOL? Seems like maybe they did! The headspots are not only supposed to be small, but have no band of "frosting" across the back of the head below the spot. I see some frosting in that bunch. Can't say if there are any pullets in there.

 

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

yowza.

errrrr-err-errrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

 

[billbob]

All roosters in the straight run bin! Yikes, well now I know more in my search for pullets. Any recommendations so I don't get all roosters again?

 

[speckledhen]

Boy, the hatchery stacked that deck, didn't it? The headspot must be small, defined and no "frosty" band across the back of the head, just a contained spot, small to medium, PLUS very dark leg front PLUS very black down. Even cockerels can have some black on their legs, but it is usually not all the way to the toes, or just a bit. Guess you could take me with you!

 

[cybercat]

You know I am not suprised you got mostly roos. When I visited are TSC I saw mostly roos in the bins. Guess the hatcheries has so many orders for pullets they just sent TSC and other feed store what they had left over. This is one reason I did a pullet only order for I have heard of too many SR orders being all roos this year.

 

[billbob]

Yes, I don't really want to buy chicks from the TSC or feed store again. I like supporting local businesses but when they send mostly roos or the hard to sex pullets to the straight run bin it is a bit of a scam. I am not creating the small laying flock I had envisioned, instead a big chicken fry LOL.

I guess I am going to start over as soon as I can get this batch out of the brooder. I am looking into Buff Orpintons, EE, BRs again, and maybe a couple of sex links (mostly on advice from BYCers).

I am thinking of ordering from mypetchicken.com because I don't really want 25 birds and want pullets. Any experiences using these guys?

Thanks

 

[TimG]

The first time I bought chicks, I ordered 24 pullets from the local feed store. I figured a few would die before making it to adulthood and that a few of them would be roosters so that I'd have a flock of 15-18 hens.

One died the first day. The other 23 were all hens and all made it to laying age. Six of the chicks were Golden Comets that I later learned can be color sexed at time of hatching. Still, being perfect for 18 out of 18 (or 17 out of 17 -- I don't remember what breed the chick that didn't make it was) is pretty good.

Last spring I picked two Buff Orpingtons and two Easter Eggers out of the pullet bin at another local feed store and all are now laying eggs.

Maybe the folks around here are more scrupulous. But, I'd guess that some well-meaning but unknowledgeable employee at the store where you got your chicks mis-labeled the batch or did not understand what "straight run" really means.

The easy answer to not getting roosters is to go with a breed that can be color sexed at time of hatching.

 

[Tala]

I think straight run really means: "all the ones we couldn't sell as pullets"