How many??

[Kitt]

I'm looking at the hatcheries and thinking about ordering a rainbow layer pack...thats all fine...all girls
But....
I'm also looking at another package and wonder...on an order of 25, what's the percentage of possible roo's?

 

[NewHopePoultry]

its suppose to be 50% males and 50% females, butmore often then not, there seems to be more males then females.

 

[Kitt]

I don't like those odds. Not even close. With my luck I'd have all roos.

 

[33yardbirds]

Out of 15 it looks like 4 roos 11 hens, this is the first half of my order. The 2nd half is still too young to tell. I don't get hatchery chicks anymore, I go to a breeder, not because of odds. I was disappointed in the final size of my BRs. Too small, not the Medicine balls I had years ago from a breeder.

 

[GiddyMoon]

Meyer says they have a 90% accurate sexing rate. I was shipped 27 and so far we only have one roo..unless someone else is a late bloomer

 

[Kitt]

I was thinking about a rainbow pullet package and then I found another package I wanted but they only sold it in straight run.

I would go to a breeder but I only know 2. One does welsummers and I really don't want a lot of those and the other one has Silkies and a few others but trying to get what I want from her can be a little difficult. I have been on a waiting list for Dorkings for almost a year. And there is no way she can supply me with 50 to 100 chicks.

Then I do want some breeds that I can only seem to find at the Hatcheries. Can't even find them on Craigslist.

 

[Laurajean]

From what I hear expect at least 50% roos. I placed a small order, 7 chicks, and got 1 roo, and that was SEXED to be female. Even then, many people tell me I got lucky.

 

[shelleyd2008]

Hatcheries sex all chicks if they are a breed that is sold as sexed. First they fill the pullet-only orders, then they fill the cockerel-only orders. As you can imagine, they don't get a whole lot of cockerel-only orders. So after filling the pullet-only orders they fill the straight run orders. Fewer pullets due to the pullet-only orders. It should be 50/50, but I would expect at least 75/25 males and females. If I got more pullets than 1/4 of the chicks I would be surprised. But if you order chicks that are not sold as sexed (bantams, etc) then it should theoretically be 50/50 but it's still luck of the draw.