How can they tell?

[mandolinmama]

We purchased 6 baby "girls" from Orschelns last week (2 RIR, 2 Buff Orp, and 2 Americauna) Guessing they're about 2 weeks old now.
How is it that they "know" which are pullets and have them seperate from the straight run?
Ours are all said to be pullets but is there a chance that there might be a roo or two in there?

If we all have such a time with sexing them when they're 6 weeks old and such, how does Orschelns know???

 

[the_great_snag]

Depending on the breed, they can either vent sex them by looking into their vents for subtle differences in their anatomy, or they can sex them by color, etc. Some breeds such as red stars vary in color based on their sex.

Anyway, the hatcheries pay professional sexers to come in and sex their hatchlings. I think McMurray guarantees something like 90% accuracy, so it's NOT an exact science.

 

[EboyDog]

That's funny because as a spring Orscheln's chick day buyer too I bought 8 RIR pullets and 4 of them are roo's!! (I'm in central MO)

Now the part I did like is that I bought the 8 "rare mix" with knowing what they were and so far I have these four black hens that have feathers on their legs, my 5 year old thinks "they have boots on"!

I don't think Orcheln's know too much at least the people working there didn't, it would be interesting to really know were they came from.

 

[cheapcheap_jeepjeep]

Quote:
How cute that your 5yr olds thinks that. they look as though they are dressed for winter weather yr round if you ask me

 

[rosyposyosy]

its really weird with vent sexing - they like literally squeeze the poop out of the baby chick and they see if there is a visible bump in the rectum and if theres a bump its a boy if not its a girl