Murray McMurray sexing accuracy?

[pathognomonic]

I ordered two groups of pullets this year from Murray McMurray. In each case I ordered 15 pullets and ended up with 14 pullets and a rooster. They will refund my money, but I don't need the roosters and as most people know, it can be hard to sell a rooster. Sometimes it can be hard to give away a rooster.
What experiences have other folks had? McMurray has been around forever, so one would assume that their sexing is generally accurate, but 1 in 15 is not a good success rate. Especially when it happens twice...

 

[Wyandottes7]

Two years ago, I split an order with other people. Out of twenty-eight chicks, all were females, as they were supposed to be. So, for me, McMurray Hatchery has done well with sexing.

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

Sexing is more of an art than a science, and no hatchery, MMM included, promises more than a 90% success rate. Doesn't matter how long they've been around, etc., they still have to have a human look at each and every chick, squeeze the poo out of the vent, and make a decision based on a teeny little nub (for vent sexed chicks). I actually think they do darn well.

Since they only promise 90% accuracy, your 1:15 ratio is actually better than promised--it's 7% and they say they can have a 10% error rate. Technically, they would not even have to refund your money. If they are offering to, they are being nice. http://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/guarantee.html

I think you've been unlucky--I've ordered literally hundreds of chicks from MMM, and have never, ever gotten a surprise rooster. But them's the odds. I'm sorry the odds weren't in your favor.

 

[Kelsie2290]

Ive gotten quite a few chicks from them and would say their sexing accuracy is better than 98% on the ones we have gotten, only one rooster or so per order, of course the sex-links kind of help their average. Interestingly enough the breed they have gotten most wrong on has been the EEs.

 

[fatcatx]

Since they only promise 90% accuracy, your 1:15 ratio is actually better than promised--it's 7% and they say they can have a 10% error rate. Technically, they would not even have to refund your money. If they are offering to, they are being nice. http://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/guarantee.html

Agree. You're doing great if you get less than 10% from any hatchery. While most guarantee 10%, it is not unusual to get 20-30% and have the hatchery refund the difference.

 

[TammyTX]

I have 16 chicks born around 08/05. I'll let you know in a couple of week what the result is.

Yesterday I did notice that I had several chicks with high pointed tail feathers....not that this is an indicator, just noticed it.

I have used Murray McMurray three times and they have always given me really good service and healthy chicks.

 

[ChickensInHugo]

In April we received 15 female chicks plus a free "bonus exotic chick" from Murray McMurray Hatchery. Every one of our females is a different breed (mostly layers, a few fancies). We are new to chickens and wanted to have fun with the variety. They turned out to be 100% accurate on the sexing of the 15 hens. The "bonus chick" turned out to be a GLW rooster. He is a great looking bird so we decided to keep him. In addition to getting the sexing correct, all of the chickens have been healthy and disease free. We would definitely order through them again.

 

[redsoxs]

In April we received 15 female chicks plus a free "bonus exotic chick" from Murray McMurray Hatchery. Every one of our females is a different breed (mostly layers, a few fancies). We are new to chickens and wanted to have fun with the variety. They turned out to be 100% accurate on the sexing of the 15 hens. The "bonus chick" turned out to be a GLW rooster. He is a great looking bird so we decided to keep him. In addition to getting the sexing correct, all of the chickens have been healthy and disease free. We would definitely order through them again.

I've also never had Murray McMurray make a mistake - they are good. But you are right...seems like the bonus chick is always a boy...this is how they use up some of their surplus males. And who could blame them.

 

[TammyTX]

It appears that most of my MM chicks are pullets, still a little early yet.

My mystery chick looks like a silver spangled hamburg....male.

 

[bullistik]

Let me start by saying that I am a complete and utter chicken novice. In the spring, I decided I'd like to get some baby chickens (layers) as we go through a good many eggs, have enough property to accommodate a few birds, and I thought it would be a fun hobby.

I did not want to breed chickens so I had no use for a rooster. I ordered 18 brown egg layers from McMurray in June. When they order arrived, all were in great shape but I had an extra chick and had no idea what breed it was. BUT, since I ordered all pullets, I was sure the extra would be another pullet. Why wouldn't it be?

Well, within a few days, after researching breeds on McMurray site, and other chicken sites, I came to the conclusion that my surprise bird was a BLRW, and once feathers started coming in, I was correct on the breed.

The flock of birds are now 3 months old, and as they have been growing, I have noticed that the BLWR (which I found out through research is a SPLASH) stands taller than the other pullets, is so standoffish in comparison to the other pullets, and appears to have more waddles/comb than I thought hens would have. But, since I am a novice and this is my first experience with chickens, I thought that perhaps some breeds have more than others, so kept trying to convince myself that my surprise bird is definitely a girl.

Well, at 7 o'clock this morning, I was out in the backyard with my dogs and from the chicken coop came this very odd noise. My first reaction was, "oh, my neighbor mus have gotten a rooster". Then I looked out to the chicken coop just in time to see the BLRW stand up as tall as I'd ever seen, then began flapping 'her' wings and out came another of those noises that eerily resembled the crow of a rooster.

Please somebody, anybody tell me that McMurray would not have sent me a rooster in a breed that is not remotely a Black Australorp, Rhode Island Red, or Red Star??? Am I imaging things, or is this a blooming Splash BLRW rooster???????