First time chicken owner, need help sexing

[black_cat]

Very true. My first batch of chicks from TSC was 8 hens, 1 cockerel. Second from a hatchery. 3rd, from TSC, 4 straight-run bantams, 2 were cockerels, one pullet was standard-sized. A relative got 1 cockerel and seven hens from TSC. My batch from a hatchery was all hens.

My theory is that Hoover's Hatchery, where most TSCs get their chicks, will refund if you get an accidental cockerel, but if they ship to TSC, accidental cockerels aren't their problem, and therefore they are less careful with sexing. Not sure if this is true, but it is a possibility.

Seems like a pretty good theory. If I get chicks I plan to order from MyPetChicken, which is where my friends order from. They also offer sexed bantams, but I don't know how good they are with those.

 

[Three Little Bunnies]

They also offer sexed bantams, but I don't know how good they are with those.

I always heard that bantams were too small to sex! If I had known you can sex them, I would have ordered bantams.

 

[black_cat]

I always heard that bantams were too small to sex! If I had known you can sex them, I would have ordered bantams.

MyPetChicken is the only hatchery that I know of that sexes them...I'm a bit suspicious of if it's still fairly accurate sexing, which is why I haven't planned for bantams.

 

[Oncoming Storm]

Tractor supply is notorious for inaccurate sexing and breed labeling, so generally hatcheries are the way to go.

Tractor supply is notorious for inaccurate sexing and breed labeling, so generally hatcheries are the way to go.

It’s not always their fault. It’s the hatcheries that supply them since they come pre-separated.

 

[black_cat]

It’s not always their fault. It’s the hatcheries that supply them since they come pre-separated.

Yep, I'd probably agree with that, but it still doesn't change the fact that when buying from a Tractor Supply location, no matter who's at fault, the breeds are often mislabeled and the chicks are often incorrectly sexed.

 

[Three Little Bunnies]

Yep, I'd probably agree with that, but it still doesn't change the fact that when buying from a Tractor Supply location, no matter who's at fault, the breeds are often mislabeled and the chicks are often incorrectly sexed.

I have found that TSC doesn't change the breed signs each time they get chicks and the employees often don't know the breeds either.

 

[Oncoming Storm]

Yep, I'd probably agree with that, but it still doesn't change the fact that when buying from a Tractor Supply location, no matter who's at fault, the breeds are often mislabeled and the chicks are often incorrectly sexed.

I have found that TSC doesn't change the breed signs each time they get chicks and the employees often don't know the breeds either.

Yes!! Omg I went to not my local store and there was a guy they hired from NYC and he had nooooo idea what he was doing. I really want to work at TSC so that I can be the crazy chicken lady at work lol.

 

[Three Little Bunnies]

Yes!! Omg I went to not my local store and there was a guy they hired from NYC and he had nooooo idea what he was doing. I really want to work at TSC so that I can be the crazy chicken lady at work lol.

Me too! I can't because of covid, though.

 

[black_cat]

Yes!! Omg I went to not my local store and there was a guy they hired from NYC and he had nooooo idea what he was doing. I really want to work at TSC so that I can be the crazy chicken lady at work lol.

Honestly I'd LOVE to work at TSC just so that I could help keep the chicks sorted out, but the nearest one is about a 45 min drive from my house.

 

[black_cat]

I'm sorry to the OP for taking over your thread.