Is buying direct from hatchery less risky gender wise?

[HeatherLynn]

Ok here is the background to this questions. I bought directly from breeders selling sexed chicks last year. I got 100% roos. Obviously that worked poorly. Ok so this year I bought 8 mixed pullets. With a fair amount of confidence I can say probably 6 of those are roos. I notice alot of other people having the same issues here. Some might have bought straight run and are asking but many others bought pullets and now have a ton of roos sooooo,

Whats the gender success rate at buying pullets from a hatchery. For example how many roos would you expect if you were ordering 25 pullets from mcmurry? I am resigned that we will have a freezer full of nice tender flavorful chicken again this year but I want some hens too. I am very tempted to order one of the laying hen mixes but I don't want half of them to be roos. So maybe some of you experienced ones can offer advise on this topic so we can stop some of our begging for genders on here.

Heatherlynn

 

[SpringChickens]

When I've bought with hatcheries, I've had 100% correct gender. If they are more than 10% off, they will typically replace the wrong gender birds. Typically a safe bet.

 

[anniem]

Wow, that's worse odds than picking from the straight-run bin! I haven't been around here too long, but that's the first i've seen slanted like that. Usually it's more like 1-2 for a small flock amount, and most say that it's 80 or 90% accuracy. Is it the breed maybe? One of our EEs (sold as Ameracauna) turned out to be a roo, but they seem to be harder to sex.
You could always go with sex-links.

 

[pdsavage]

With sex links you will get 100%,now you have to tell the hatcheries you don't want boys added for warmth.
Cackle Hatchery has a small order pullet special.

 

[HeatherLynn]

I give the benefit of the doubt to the individual backyard hatcher who sells his chicks, they were EE's and BR's. This year I bought 8 from the pullet bin 3 BR, 2 buff orphingtons, 1 mystery bird that is either a RIR or a brown leghorn I have no clue what those look like as babies, a 2 other mystery birds that are either rir or brown leghorns.

All but 2 have developed a healthy size comb that turned pink. I cannot be sure on age because I only know how long I have had them so they are more than likely 4 weeks.

 

[Alabama ee]

I also wanted mostly pullets. Mine has been 100% from the hatcheries. I have bought 3 times from 2 different places. Both were 100%.
This last time I ordered Mt Healthy 15 pullets and one roo. I received 15 pullets and the one roo and 3 extras that were roos. Usually if they put in extras, it will be boys. I was told when I ordered from Mt healthy if I had ordered all pullets, then they would have only put in girls as extras. I am not sure what the policy is with other hacheries.

 

[hennyjenn]

My order from Meyer last year was 100% correct.

 

[warmfuzzies]

Our pullet orders have always been right on. Most will guarantee 90%, so you should not get more then 2 or 3 roos in an order of 25 pullets, but many times they are even better then that.

Now, if you get them from a feed store, you will always run the chance of someone picking up some from the roo box and putting them down in the pullet box, so that is different.

 

[adkchickmama]

My order from Mt Healthy last year was 100% correct. All pullets , no roos. This year I bought 7 new chicks from TSC and I can see already that I have a roo in the bunch maybe two. THey don't even know what they are selling or how to sex them if they get mixed in the tubs. WHich very often happens as kids like to hang out there and pick up the chicks if no-one is looking. I would order from the hatchery next time. I split an order with a friend or two when I don't need 25 chicks. Good Luck.

 

[Menmyrc]

Our one and only experience with McMurray hatchery was this year. We order 30 Buff Orpingtons Straight Run. A lot of people have said straight run orders tend to be heavy on the roos, but we have a good 50/50 mix of roos and pullets. If you want some more tender meat for your freezer, you may be able to order your minimum 25, depending on how many pullets you actually want, and you may end up with a dozen pullets and a dozen in the freezer.