Multiple person chick order- how to tell Roosters v. Pullets.

[off-grid hen]

Let me just say- I will never order this way AGAIN!

A bunch of people all combined a bunch of personal orders to make one large chick order. I didn't question this in the beginning, but now I have smartened up. Many of us are ordering pullets. well- one guy has an order of straight run chicks. I know that even with 5 birds of 3 different breeds (I got 15 birds total), I still have a chance of getting a rooster or 3. The straight run order is supposedly going to be banded, but we'll see.

The two breeds he is straight-running are columbian wyandottes and partridge rocks. ( Some of my birds are partidge rocks- another woman ordered columbian wyandottes)Can anyone help with minute details between the chicks or are we just at the mercy of the hatchery bands?

Any help would be appreciated, the order is not here yet- but I'd like to do any homework before the chickies get here.

Edit: after looking around abit more, I can see that it's not going to be easy. I had remembered seeing a few posts like "the roos have a little spot on their heads, or different markings on beaks, but nevermind.

 

[akcountrygrrl]

I think you're pretty much at the mercy of the hatchery. I wish you the best of luck.

 

[ScaredOfShadows]

You are mainly going to be at the mercy of the hatchery... Yes when I ordered with friends and neighbors before I requested they use a 100 chick box (we had 4 different orders and 70 odd chicks total - pullets and straight run orders) and seperate the orders with the 4 point dividers (Mt. Healthy) they did as I wanted them to, so we knew whos was who.