Too many boys

[Folly's place]

When you buy sexed pullets, what's the fate of their male hatchmates? Here they have nice lives, until that fateful day, unless they can be rehomed.
Mary

 

[Aunt Angus]

When you buy sexed pullets, what's the fate of their male hatchmates? Here they have nice lives, until that fateful day, unless they can be rehomed.
Mary

Exactly.

 

[ackie]

When you buy sexed pullets, what's the fate of their male hatchmates? Here they have nice lives, until that fateful day, unless they can be rehomed.
Mary

They get thrown into straight run in a disproportionate amount so you can pawn them off?

I know what you're referring to happens to, but I swear.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

They get thrown into straight run in a disproportionate amount so you can pawn them off?

I know what you're referring to happens to, but I swear.

I don't think that's true. I don't see why people insist straight run isn't even. It's always rather believably split

 

[ChocolateMouse]

Maybe a few end up that way. The rest meet a much less fortunate end.

 

[ackie]

I don't think that's true. I don't see why people insist straight run isn't even. It's always rather believably split

I actually always assumed that straight run was unsexed chicks so it was kinda luck of the draw.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I actually always assumed that straight run was unsexed chicks so it was kinda luck of the draw.

It is. But people always claim that they intentionally put all males in straight run orders. I don't believe that

 

[ackie]

It is. But people always claim that they intentionally put all males in straight run orders. I don't believe that

I wouldn't assume all males, but I'm just saying if a hatchery did 60/40 or 55/45 males/females, no one would notice on a small scale because its still roughly even (within the margin of error), yet they would get rid of extra males pretty efficiently on the large scale.

 

[AllenK RGV]

Honestly from my experience straight run is very 50/50. My last order came out all cockerel. But finding that they behave so much better when raised by an established flock of hens in my 3 years of doing this. I'll cull them down though as I only want to start this next spring with 4 cockerel going into it and after my battle hardened Hawk fighters have either fallen in battle or survived their battle scars. Raptor migration season starts for me very soon.

I will craigslist cull them to people who want chicken on their table. To me that is very humane in these times as I know my birds had a good life unlike those Walmart broilers.

I wanted to mention the Heritage Breeds part as well, mine were 100% human aggressive (Sumatra)when raised alongside the hens, but having the hens bloody their nose a season later gave me much better results behaviorally. Now the chicken don't take notice me they only care if I put out useful compostables.