Researching Chicken Breeds (Couple Odd Questions??)

[countryjack]

I hope this post is considered to be a legit question. I went to a website called Murray McMurray, on the website I was looking at the various breeds available and some of the terminology used seemed rather odd, such as "Straight Run" a purchasing option right after "All Males", "All Females", I suspect this is a mix of both sexes. Prices varied - Usually "Straight Run" ran a little more expensive. What exactly is a "Straight Run", Is it even important to understand what it is...

Now, I pasted a quote, from a description on Murray McMurray below, for a combination of deluxe mix of chicks. They cast them as the "Rarest of the rare". Now I am not looking to become a "Chicken, ney a Poultry breeder" however I thought it might be cool to have a couple unique birds strutting around the yard. But is this really the right path for a guy who just wants eggs and chicken meat?
P.S. My wife said "Doing the rare collection, is like having a "vanity plate" on the work truck

Quote:
So, any feedback would be greatly appreciated, so if either of these questions are "hokey or dumb", well mock me under your breathe and move on to more important things.

John

 

[SilkiesForEver]

I hope this post is considered to be a legit question. I went to a website called Murray McMurray, on the website I was looking at the various breeds available and some of the terminology used seemed rather odd, such as "Straight Run" a purchasing option right after "All Males", "All Females", I suspect this is a mix of both sexes. Prices varied - Usually "Straight Run" ran a little more expensive. What exactly is a "Straight Run", Is it even important to understand what it is...

Now, I pasted a quote, from a description on Murray McMurray below, for a combination of deluxe mix of chicks. They cast them as the "Rarest of the rare". Now I am not looking to become a "Chicken, ney a Poultry breeder" however I thought it might be cool to have a couple unique birds strutting around the yard. But is this really the right path for a guy who just wants eggs and chicken meat?
P.S. My wife said "Doing the rare collection, is like having a "vanity plate" on the work truck

Quote:

So, any feedback would be greatly appreciated, so if either of these questions are "hokey or dumb", well mock me under your breathe and move on to more important things.

John

Straight run are unsexed chicks. Meaning they could either be males or females. I've never seen straight run chicks being more expensive though, usually chicks sexed as hens are more pricey.

As for the "exotic chick" option, they are usually more expensive and more often than not, not good layers. But they do lay and can really make your flock more lively with color.

ETA: These are very valid questions, and please let me know if I answered them adequately.

 

[junebuggena]

Hatcheries don't really have any truly 'rare' breeds. What a hatchery considers rare are the more ornamental types, not commonly kept for utility. They are more of the yard art type poultry. They won't be your best layers, and the males aren't really big enough to be a proper meal, but they sure are nice to look at and make for a bit of interest and diversity. You will not get show or breeder quality birds, of any breed, from a hatchery.
Straight run means unsexed. Some places have strict bans on roosters, so it can be an important factor to consider. If you choose straight run, you need to be prepared for at least half your ordered to be male. And you need a plan for what to do with all those boys, once they reach maturity.

 

[donrae]

good questions!

Straight run means, unsexed. whatever sex hatches, you get. Overall, it's going to be 50/50, but each batch can vary quite a bit.

Sexed pullets are more expensive. Then straight run, then sexed cockerels.


If you want eggs and meat, I'd not go with a rare collection, Most breeds they classify as rare are what we'd call Ornamental, meaning not so much to the egg production or meat. Pretty to look at, yes, Functional---not always. There are exceptions, but overall, no.

Depending on how much eggs and how much meat you want, I'd go with an assortment of layers. The Rainbow Layer or whatever they call it now is always a nice option. They give you several different breeds, and you can see who you like best. Even with sexed pullets, you have a chance of getting an Oops cockerel. Sexing chicks is more difficult than sexing kittens or puppies, sadly. So, you may still wind up with a boy to butcher. Or, you can order a straight run of any of the heavy breeds, or an assortment. That will give you roosters to butcher around 5 months old, and hens to give you eggs about that same time.


Now, when I have a more secure property and can have birds free ranging around the yard and just want some eye candy, would I order the rare assortment? I'd sure think about it. Lots of pretty birds.

 

[ChickenGuppy]

Apparently I was told that straight run could also be what was left after everything was taken out that they wanted to sell. I had a recent experience with a large number of poults that I ordered and only received the two hens out of the whole order.

 

[junebuggena]

Apparently I was told that straight run could also be what was left after everything was taken out that they wanted to sell. I had a recent experience with a large number of poults that I ordered and only received the two hens out of the whole order.

That's just the breaks of ordering straight run. They don't sex the chicks prior to filling the order. They go straight from the incubator to the shipping box. Some hatches are just heavy on the males.

 

[dekel18042]

I hope this post is considered to be a legit question. I went to a website called Murray McMurray, on the website I was looking at the various breeds available and some of the terminology used seemed rather odd, such as "Straight Run" a purchasing option right after "All Males", "All Females", I suspect this is a mix of both sexes. Prices varied - Usually "Straight Run" ran a little more expensive. What exactly is a "Straight Run", Is it even important to understand what it is...

Now, I pasted a quote, from a description on Murray McMurray below, for a combination of deluxe mix of chicks. They cast them as the "Rarest of the rare". Now I am not looking to become a "Chicken, ney a Poultry breeder" however I thought it might be cool to have a couple unique birds strutting around the yard. But is this really the right path for a guy who just wants eggs and chicken meat?
P.S. My wife said "Doing the rare collection, is like having a "vanity plate" on the work truck


So, any feedback would be greatly appreciated, so if either of these questions are "hokey or dumb", well mock me under your breathe and move on to more important things.

John

From least to most expensive:
all cockerels (boys)
straight run (both sexes)
All pullets

Some breeds are sold unsexed, for example the Cornish crosses and some other meat birds. Guess they figure not many would want the smaller pullets here if they are bound for the table.
Love your wife's assessment of doing the rare assortment is like having a vanity plate on a work truck.

Although they lay less, sometimes a rare breed is wonderful if you are breeding for egg color or for some other reason you are looking to hybridize something. Get some and you can come up with all kinds of projects both in how you want the chickens to turn out or what you can make to put in your egg basket.
For this spring I have my wish list of breeds I want to add and so does my husband. His wish list reads: Production layers.

 

[ChickenGuppy]

I'm just relaying the information that I was told by another Hatchery. "Straight run" I think they must be attorneys lol. We got into quite a heated debate about that. I said straight run should be picked from what was hatched and they were arguing with me telling me after they were sexed and sold I got what was left.

 

[donrae]

I'm just relaying the information that I was told by another Hatchery. "Straight run" I think they must be attorneys lol. We got into quite a heated debate about that. I said straight run should be picked from what was hatched and they were arguing with me telling me after they were sexed and sold I got what was left.

What hatchery was that? That's not straight run, that's leftovers. And very likely to be all/mostly cockerels.

 

[ChickenGuppy]

What hatchery was that? That's not straight run, that's leftovers. And very likely to be all/mostly cockerels. 

Try 2 hens out of 100. I made the mistake last time revealing the name of the company and all hell broke loose. Let's just say I learned my lesson speaking names in public. I have no problem discussing such things in private message. I will tell you this though it's not where I got my Jersey Giants. I love my birds!