Please tell me I'm wrong!

[MontanaDolphin]

I am supposed to have 1 Barred Rock cockerel and 5 Barred Rock pullets. I know it's iffy when getting straight run, and that there was a possibility that I'd have more than one roo...but...when I look at their feathers when they are all together, I swear it looks like I have 4 roos and 2 pullets! Please tell me what you think based on the pics...

 

[teach1rusl]

In the "birds eye view" pic, it does look like two pullets only, based on amount of white to dark feathering...that's why I don't buy straight run...cause it could've ended up ALL cockerels.

 

[MontanaDolphin]

I didn't realize they were "straight run". I knew nothing about the term before coming to this forum. I went to Southern States, told the worker there that I wanted one cockerel and five pullets, and she picked them out for me, based on the leg wash. I'm assuming they were straight run, since there were both males and females in the bin, and it didn't state anything on the price marker either way. So that makes them straight run, right?

 

[teach1rusl]

Yes, a sign will definitely advertise "pullets" if they are sexed. And it's possible as they feather in that the coloring will shift...but to me it looks like only two pullets so far. Sorry...

 

[MontanaDolphin]

Great...now what am I gonna do?? That means three of them are going to have to become dinner...and I'm attached to two of them...Zeus, my first known boy, and "Brave Girl", who is the one who always flies up on to the ledge of the brooder when I take the screen off. I can't have two cockerels...I mean, I could...but that would mean fighting between the two, as well as gang banging my hens...and I'm going to have to get more babies, cuz two hens just won't do...but then I'm faced with the same thing happening again if I get them from southern states, which is the only place within 30 miles that I know of where you can get baby chicks. Unless there's a fellow BYC memeber who has baby barred rocks and who lives near me, I'm screwed.

 

[teach1rusl]

Well, it wouldn't have to be barred rocks as added pullets. Any breed would work. Did they have ANY sexed chicks??? If you don't think you could eat your males, you might try to give them away locally now before you become more attached. You might ask at SS... Also, you might give it another week or two just to make sure... Good luck!

 

[MontanaDolphin]

Every time I've been in there, there are no sexed chicks. But, then again, I've only been in SS five times over the past 2 months. I live out in the middle of nowhere, and it takes me 30 minutes to get to the nearest SS. The closest TS is almost an hour away. As for different breeds, I want BR because I'm a first timer. I want to start with them, see how I do as well as see how they do, and grow from there. If I go with a different breed, I would like to wait till my girls start laying. I'm trying to go slow so I don't get way in over my head.

I was planning on waiting till they were older to be sure of the sex of these babies, and besides, they are too small to eat right now anyway LOL. I'm just going to have to try my hardest not to get attached to anymore, although I don't think I will have any control over it.

 

[Henny]

Judging by the second picture it looks to me like you might have 2 cockerels and 4 pullets. The 2 chicks have longer pointed tails than the other 4. Usually the cockerels tail feathers grow faster as well as the combs and wattles. Give them a few more weeks when the combs and wattles on the cockerels will grow larger and pinker than the pullets. What is their behavior like? Usually the cockerels have a more erect stance when you jostle their box a little and the pullets will go low. The cockerels are a little braver.

 

[happybooker1]

It might be worth the drive to TSC. They usually do have a bin of 'pullet' chicks. Whether they're BR or not you'd have to call & find out. You still might get a 'mistake' but chances would be way less.

First off, I would try to give away the 2 male chicks you are least fond of. I don't know in your area if it's easier to advertise on Craigslist or at the local feed store or what. Since they're still pretty young someone might take them. That's what *I* would do, just so I didn't get more attached. I'm sorry, I just can't eat a chicken I've met.

I ordered 25 bantam chicks from McMurray straight run. Then I got 7 Silkies (Splash and Black) from a local gal. At 10 days old I picked out about 17 of the MM chicks to trade to a local feed store for an account credit. I had 15 chicks left (the ones from MM + all 7 Silkies).

I ended up with ELEVEN Roo's. I cannot pick chicks--LOL!! Out of the MM chicks I kept, I had 3 pullets. Out of the Silkies, I ended up with ONE. After trying to sell the Roo's on CL for WEEKS, I finally ended up giving them all away. But I really lucked out. A man in another town saw my ad, and he had hens for nearly every breed I had. He took them all and promised me POL pullets anytime I wanted some. He's starting a business hatchery so all worked out really well.

GL on your chickies.

 

[salt and pepper]

It looks more to me like three roosters, and three pullets... I don't think you have four roosters. Hopefully not!