I have a question for the experts on straight run vs sexed chicks...

[wabbit1964]

Hi I hope I word this correctly... I had a random thought that has been bugging me.... I know when you buy chicks that are 'straight run' they can be male or female... but the chicks from TSC, Blue Seal etc.. that are not labeled 'straight run' are supposedly all girls... at that young age how can they tell and make sure they are all girls and not a mix of boys/girls??

Another way I guess to word it is a straight run is all eggs that hatched so you get a 50/50 chance... how do they create a 'non straight run' and know these are hens if they aren't old enough to sex until later??

Just a newbie random question that has been running around my brain the last few days... Having chickens the last year has been a learning experience I want to expand my knowledge.

 

[debid]

They can tell in a few different ways.

1) down color -- a mix of known traits produces gender-specific differences. For example, crossing a RIR rooster with a RIW hen makes red female chicks and white male chicks.

2) Wing growth -- a mix of slow (hen) and fast feathering (rooster) produces chicks that feather at different rates by gender (fast would be a female chick in this scenario). Wing feathers are already developing at hatch so those are what is examined.

3) Vent sexing -- a trained sexer physically looks in the vent and determines if the nub that is present in males is there or not.

 

[MossyoakLane]

Some chickens are "sex linked" meaning they can be identified by markings when born (some breeds will have a dot on their head for males, some breeds have stripes for females etc). The ones that are not sex linked are sexed in one of these 2 manners http://msucares.com/poultry/management/poultry_sexing.html

 

[DeerFangRanch]

The vent sexing has to be done shortly after hatching. Before the chicks have anything to eat so the sexer can see without the crowding that a full gi tract would cause.

 

[wabbit1964]

Thank you to all 3 of you. That is interesting to know. Earlier in the week that question popped into my head and I have been trying to figure out the information you all provided is very helpful in answering and helping me understand more.