Either my hens are crowing... or the hatchery sold us straight run.

[TaylorGlade]

View attachment 3592898
Look familiar?

This is Naomi, one of my 4 Dominique bantam pullets. They're 16 weeks old.

Yes! She does look like Chickadee. So sweet

 

[Chicalina]

I agree with LaFleche, you've only got one Australorp pullet, I am sorry to say.

They are all gorgeous looking boys though. Perhaps you will be able to sell them on Craigslist or similar?

 

[Red Mangrove]

Be very careful about buying birds from swaps. You are in a tough spot now with all these makes but you will be in a worse spot if you bring home a disease.

I've traded and swapped chickens many times in a single, large outdoor flock for years and I've never had any issues from it. I think biosecurity only matters when people make it matter by having unnatural, sterile environments and sickly birds in ivory towers

 

[TaylorGlade]

Aha...the feed stores lie. I've seen it with my own eyes.

They will claim they are selling females knowing good and well they themselves ordered straight run to save a dollar.

This is a reputable feed store that has been in business here for decades. They came highly recommended by other Chicken tenders in the area. They used a different hatchery this year. They usually went with Ideal, but this year, due to increased demand, they also sourced from other hatcheries.

 

[TaylorGlade]

I agree with LaFleche, you've only got one Australorp pullet, I am sorry to say.

They are all gorgeous looking boys though. Perhaps you will be able to sell them on Craigslist or similar?

I worry about people wanting them for cock-fighting purposes if I just sell them on Craigslist. How do you weed out the nutjobs?

 

[TaylorGlade]

I've traded and swapped chickens many times in a single, large outdoor flock for years and I've never had any issues from it. I think biosecurity only matters when people make it matter by having unnatural, sterile environments and sickly birds in ivory towers

Our birds are kept in an enclosed chicken run - but it's because we live in the middle of heavily wooded acreage. If we free ranged them, we'd have no chickens by the end of the first day. Just standing on my back porch, I can see 6 hawk nests in easy view. Not to mention that we frequently get coyotes - both night and day. As well as foxes, stray cats and an occasional stray dog. I wish I could free range them, but it's simply not an option here.

 

[TaylorGlade]

Thank you to everyone that replied. We may try to sell them at the farmer's swap next week. I just cannot bare to cull all these chickens we hand-raised and hand-fed. I considered them pets with a purpose - and I already feel like I am betraying them by re-homing them. I am realistic. I know what will likely happen to them . I'll probably see if David will take them to the market himself. I don't think buyers would like it if I broke down in tears. First preference: farmers that need some biodiversity.

Update: We have just ordered 16 more sexed australorp pullets - directly from Cackle Hatchery this time. I'm really disappointed that we essentially starting completely over. But one thing about chickens: poo happens.

 

[Kiki]

This is a reputable feed store that has been in business here for decades. They came highly recommended by other Chicken tenders in the area. They used a different hatchery this year. They usually went with Ideal, but this year, due to increased demand, they also sourced from other hatcheries.

That doesn't meant they didn't accidently order straight run.

 

[ShrekDawg]

I haven’t read the whole thread yet so maybe someone already told you this but I notice you mentioned the combs aren’t large and look like hens you Googled? Unfortunately, for this age, those combs ARE large and quite red. The females don’t get big red combs like that until they get close to laying. You can’t really compare adult hens to pullets unfortunately. And you do indeed have mostly cockerels.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Thank you to everyone that replied. We may try to sell them at the farmer's swap next week. I just cannot bare to cull all these chickens we hand-raised and hand-fed. I considered them pets with a purpose - and I already feel like I am betraying them by re-homing them. I am realistic. I know what will likely happen to them . I'll probably see if David will take them to the market himself. I don't think buyers would like it if I broke down in tears. First preference: farmers that need some biodiversity.

Update: We have just ordered 16 more sexed australorp pullets - directly from Cackle Hatchery this time. I'm really disappointed that we essentially starting completely over. But one thing about chickens: poo happens.