More chicks

[beachbumchick]

We purchased 6 bantam chicks from Tractor Supply and we have 8 more we are waiting on from a local feed store. The ones from both Tractor Supply and the feed store are all straight run. We are not allowed to have rooster's in the city. My question is, Should we just go with the 6 we have and hope for at least 2 hens or go ahead and get the other 8 for better odds of getting a hen?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

You're going to have to deal with cockerels in any case so go for more birds so you'll end up with enough pullets for your family. You'll eventually want more than 2 and it is very hard to add to an existing flock.

 

[beachbumchick]

Oh, ok! Thank you!

 

[Peeps61]

Yeah, I think the odds of getting a cockerel with straight run is about 70% - I read that on this site somewhere. Even with pullets, you get the occasional cockerel in the bunch. I've got 8 chicks right now, and I am almost certain that my one black austrolorpe (spelling) is a rooster. It's slow to feather out, bigger than the others and stands very tall and erect, like a rooster would. So, I may end up with another rooster, even though I don't want one. I can have them, just find that I and my hens are happier without one.

 

[michele1978]

I went with pullets not straight run and now I have 5 rooster out of the eight.

 

[Peeps61]

Yep, some places thats more likely than others . Have fun cooking them!

 

[beachbumchick]

I guess we will go ahead and get the other 8 then. Thank you!