Tractor Supply Co Sexing - Accurate?

[DesertBird]

I deleted it.. Too much sadness. I tried to just put up a link but the video appeared. I didn't want it to be so easy to view in case somebody clicked it by accident. It was footage from a major hatchery.

Aww, that's so sad.

Chipmunk look like EE to me.

Darn! I would've gotten them if I had known! Then again, they were straight run either way, so I probably wouldn't want to take that gamble - especially buying 10!

 

[DesertBird]

So in general, today I've learned that the hatchery TSC buys from does not properly label their birds. Or at least, the hatchery that sent my local TSC the birds. The breeds aren't an issue for me, but I'm desperately hoping I did not end up with more rooster's... hopefully they labeled at least the gender correctly.

I got to talking with the girl who got the chicks for me, and we talked for about half an hour (about chickens! it was great ) and I was telling her how I ended up with 3 cockerel's from the last 8 I bought at TSC. She then explained to me one or two of the employees, on the 2nd or 3rd chick shipment, mixed them up and put straight run RIR's in the pullet bin and pullets in the straight run RIR's bin. So, the pullet guarantee is good still, but I suppose if you have employee's that don't pay attention...

 

[SpaghettiJo]

Our TSC carries only pullets so I'm sure that helps a whole lot with accuracy.. We went and picked up 6 baby chicks - crossing our fingers they were pullets, waited a few months and sure enough all of them are hens - happily laying their delicious eggs for us to eat

 

[Lazy Farmer]

Normally I'd ship from a breeder

If you don't purchase straight run then your chicks were most likely subjected to this...

That is a lot for a new born anything.
We hatch our own but when we buy a new breed, we buy straight run chicks. If we get a roo, we just re home him. It is what it is. It's a craps shoot.
Forest Gump's Mama always use to tell him.. "Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are going to get.". I don't like my chocolate squeezed to drain the excrement.

 

[DesertBird]

Our TSC carries only pullets so I'm sure that helps a whole lot with accuracy.. We went and picked up 6 baby chicks - crossing our fingers they were pullets, waited a few months and sure enough all of them are hens - happily laying their delicious eggs for us to eat

Mine seems to have way more straight run bins, at least this time around. Was hoping for some nice, friendly EE hens, but instead, I ended up with nice Australorp's and some mystery birds.

 

[Lazy Farmer]

If you don't purchase straight run then your chicks were most likely subjected to this...

That is a lot for a new born anything.
We hatch our own but when we buy a new breed, we buy straight run chicks. If we get a roo, we just re home him. It is what it is. It's a craps shoot.
Forest Gump's Mama always use to tell him.. "Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are going to get.". I don't like my chocolate squeezed to drain the excrement.

Now do that 400 or more times a day! Can you see the room for error?

 

[apryl29]

Pictures!!

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These are the pics I took of the bins in general.

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The two breeds I got - 5 of each.

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The other breeds they had.

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Some pics of the 10 I got in their tub.



Sorry for the bad quality - I don't think they wanted me taking pictures of the chicks by the way they were looking at me. I'm sure I'll be taking many more pics of the 10 I got.


Anyone have any info/experience with Australorp's and Sicilian Buttercup's? What should I expect from them? I needed more pullets, and didn't want 10 of the same kind, or any more RIR's, so I got 5 of each pullet they had aside from RIR's. I was hoping for EE's, but they didn't have any.

I have an australorp! Her name is Loki and she's great! I loved that they look like baby penguins!!! She's pretty friendly and very calm. She's one of my favorites. No exp w/ the Sicilians though. We always take bunches of pictures.. it probably happens more than you would think. Esp of the signs so I can remember what i bought.

 

[DesertBird]

If you don't purchase straight run then your chicks were most likely subjected to this...

That is a lot for a new born anything.
We hatch our own but when we buy a new breed, we buy straight run chicks. If we get a roo, we just re home him. It is what it is. It's a craps shoot.
Forest Gump's Mama always use to tell him.. "Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are going to get.". I don't like my chocolate squeezed to drain the excrement.

Now do that 400 or more times a day! Can you see the room for error?

Yeah, and I feel bad for the poor chicks. I had no idea. I suppose I was hoping for something painless to sex the poor things.

 

[SpaghettiJo]

Mine seems to have way more straight run bins, at least this time around. Was hoping for some nice, friendly EE hens, but instead, I ended up with nice Australorp's and some mystery birds.

I'm sorry to hear that you didn't end up getting what you wanted! Hopefully they are still nice birds!

 

[DesertBird]

I have an australorp! Her name is Loki and she's great! I loved that they look like baby penguins!!! She's pretty friendly and very calm. She's one of my favorites. No exp w/ the Sicilians though. We always take bunches of pictures.. it probably happens more than you would think. Esp of the signs so I can remember what i bought.

Was (as a chick)/is she pretty spunky? The ones I got all run at my hand and peck me already. I know it's probably because they think I'm a predator, but my BR's and RIR's didn't automatically start out pecking me. lol