Percentage of incorrectly sexed chicks

[subbie80]

We purchased 26 chicken from a local farm. The farm is known and does a good bit of business. We walked out knowing at least 2 were roosters. We’re now at the 5 1/2 month mark it looks like we have over 25% of our chickens are roosters. What’s an acceptable percentage of wrongly sexed chicks?

 

[AlleysChicks]

How old were the birds when you purchased them? If they were newly hatched chicks a farm probably isn’t a reliable source unless they have sex links. Hatcheries only have about 90% accuracy.

 

[9SpiceyChickens]

I find it´s for every 2 pullets, there is 1 cockerel. That might just be me.

 

[orrpeople]

Agreed.
Did they tell you they were sexed birds? Most farms don't offer that service. If you received only 25% cockerels then you did great!

 

[Cyprus]

Did you buy them sexed?
Unless it is a hatchery I do not believe that wing sexing is a reliable method of sexing.
Vent sexing, if done correctly, is more reliable.

 

[subbie80]

They were a day old and sexed via feathers. But the farm did not guaranteed the sexing. I was thinking an extra rooster or two would be acceptable but our number seems high. Is 25% good for wing sexing?

 

[Cyprus]

They were a day old and sexed via feathers. But the farm did not guaranteed the sexing. I was thinking an extra rooster or two would be acceptable but our number seems high. Is 25% good for wing sexing?

Wing sexing can only be done with breeding stock that has specific traits which I doubt the farm bred for.
I do not think wing sexing is accurate with these chicks.
I would expect closer to a 50/50 ratio of males to females.

 

[chickendreams24]

Considering wing sexing is merely a guess unless the birds were actually bred for it then yes that's a good number.

In the future take wing sexing with a grain of salt.

I could have this backwards since I haven't done a lot of research on how to breed for it but basically you breed a fast feathering(developing) breed rooster to slow feathering hens and the cockerals feather slower than the pullets. Fast feathering breeds include the Mediterranean breeds and other light weight hard feathered breeds, Leghorns for instance.

Slower feathering breeds include the large fluffy often dual purpose breeds. Like Orpingtons Brahmas and Sussex.

What breed or mixes are the chicks?

 

[EggSighted4Life]

They were a day old and sexed via feathers. But the farm did not guaranteed the sexing. I was thinking an extra rooster or two would be acceptable but our number seems high. Is 25% good for wing sexing?

From a local farm... I think ya get what ya get and consider feather sexing to be fairly inaccurate... Since they TRIED but couldn't guarantee it... 25% isn't bad. Sex linked would be better... but won't produce pure breeds. I like mine pure but don't offer sexing... except I will guarantee gender after a certain age but NOT day old. I think that IS an acceptable number... I personally offer to take back male chicks (once crowing) for free as a community service noting they WILL become food for my family and pets or someone else's NOT returned to my flock.

My average with hatchery chicks is about the 10% they claim. Sometimes worse, others better... overall IS about 10% boys.

My own hatching easily produces MORE males than females almost EVERY time... But again it is close to 50/50 overall.

 

[subbie80]

Good to know. We won’t be going that route next year. Are the chicks at Tractor Supply, Rural King, or other supply stores sex linked? Do you prefer mail order chicks vs feed store chicks health wise?