Hatchery sex link bantams

[SlipsWife]

I've noticed a number of hatcheries sell bantams in breeds that are also used for color/trait sexing in standard size breeds but they don't offer sex link chicks in bantams.

My theory is that with the standard 50/50 pullet/cockerel hatch rate, that hatcheries would be disposing of 99% of the males due to the fact that the bantams wouldn't appeal as a meat birds. At least with standard size sex links they have a market for the males.

Does this sound about right? Do you know of any hatcheries that do bantam sex links? We haven't had the best of luck with bantams but I LOVE the tiny eggs, my husband said fine, we'll get quail...I'm thinking if I order a large enough number of straight run bantams of 2 popular sex-linkable breeds then we can keep our own flock going. I don't understand my husbands theory on processing quail for meat birds but saying a bantam would be 'to much work'. How stinking cute would a mini deep fried chicken be?! Ok, maybe not cute, but yummy?

*disclaimer* If my husband were to ever read this I want to make sure he understands that any of the hypothetical bantams ordered to start this process do NOT count towards my chicken numbers. This project is going to have a lot of steps and take time so it wouldn't be fair to penalize for the large numbers to get started. Two words: Chicken Math

 

[donrae]

I think the thing is, the sex links are high production birds. I think from the hatcheries' perspectives, a bantam high production bird doesn't make sense. Plus, sex links are hybirds, not breeds, and hatcheries want to offer the breeds.

My understanding is bantams are sold straight run because they're literally too small to accurately vent sex. I think they'd sex them if they could, that way they could charge more for sexed pullets like the do with large fowl.