Paranoid about getting a roo

Seattle_Chick

In the Brooder
8 Years
Jun 1, 2011
11
0
22
Seattle
I have three 4-week-old sexed pullets and am super paranoid about chick sexing. I've seen so many people ask for advice here about sexing what was "supposed" to be a pullet but turned out to be unanimously identified as a cockerel. So, I'm just wondering - how often exactly does this happen? We live in Seattle and are not allowed to have roos. My other question is, if we did have a cockerel in the mix, what then? A duo of chicks seems kinda lonely. Would it be wise to integrate another bird into the flock? Hopefully, I'm just being paranoid, but I'd rather mentally prepare myself for the possibility of saying bye bye.

Thanks!
 
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Well I have this book about raising chicks and it says there's an old fashioned way of finding out of they are male or female called the hat trick. Which basically says you take out your few birds, drop a hat from high above near them, supposedly roos will extend their head up and hens will cower down, an instinct the roos have to protect their flock. I haven't verified whether it works or not but it was a great book, so I would feel confident that it does.

If you do get a rooster, you can always put it on craigslist or eat it when it gets a little bit older. I would get another hen if one did turn out to be a rooster, they're a flock animal, do well in higher numbers.
 
Oh my goodness you and I are dealing with the EXACT same anxiety right now. I have three 4 week old Buff Orpingtons that are my loves. I am so attached to these chickens. I can't have a rooster either. I don't know what I will do if I have to give any one of them up. Just want you to know that you aren't alone!
 
Im with you on this! I have five and I suspect one or two may be roos. I talked to the breeder and she offered to take them back in exchange for others. When faced with the possibility of giving them up, I felt so sad! It really hit home how much I want to keep each and every one of my flock! Hoping for hens for both of us!
 
I too was worried about this. I have 9 eight week old chicks from Mypetchicken.com. One has turned out to be a roo- a salmon favoorelle roo.. I have come to grips with it since there is only one and have accepted him. We try to handle him frequently to ensure he is a nice roo. If he shows signs of aggression within the next 6 months, he may find himself locked out of the coop on some beautiful evening. My kids will be sad , but hopefully we won't have to do that.
 
The best way to be absolutely sure if it is a roo or a pullet is to wait and see if it crows or lays an egg. If they are sexed from a hatchery I'd say you probably got pullets but most hatchery only carry a 90% accuracy when sexing. If you did get a roo by mistake,you can always rehome it on Craigslist or find someone that will trade you another pullet for the roo.
 

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