Viva Las Vegas!

[coupedup]

...I would really like to make a purchase Septemberish. Will anyone have pullets around that time? I cannot take males per city ordinance and I would grow too attached if I accidentally ended up with a rooster. I could not bare letting it go to possibly be used as meat or some other unknown use. I am not really sure what my options are?...

I think the possibility of a rooster is a chance you have to take unless you get the sexed variety (the kind you can tell by the color of the eggshell). My wife (MLPChick) and I are dealing with this now. We have a rooster and it's only a matter of time before we have to get rid of it. It's hard not to get attached and if they are your pets it's hard to see them go. My brother and I had an idea about exchanging roosters for food use. That way you don't have to eat your own chicken. I'm not particularly attached to his and he's not attached to mine. We would just exchange them and everything would be okay.

 

[cary 1973]

I'm so worried about my chickies in this heat... I gave them a bowl of ice to peck at this afternoon. They have lots of water and plenty of shade, but I'm still worried! A few of them look like they're panting.. is that a problem? I'm really concerned for the 115-120 degree temps in late summer!

the chickens are like us they will adjust as it gets warmer its the sudden changes that are hard to handle but come july and aug they should be accustomed to it, water and shade is the most important thing some people add a misting system.

 

[hot-hen]

I think the possibility of a rooster is a chance you have to take unless you get the sexed variety (the kind you can tell by the color of the eggshell). My wife (MLPChick) and I are dealing with this now. We have a rooster and it's only a matter of time before we have to get rid of it. It's hard not to get attached and if they are your pets it's hard to see them go. My brother and I had an idea about exchanging roosters for food use. That way you don't have to eat your own chicken. I'm not particularly attached to his and he's not attached to mine. We would just exchange them and everything would be okay.

I hate to be/sound difficult, but I don't think I could do it. So does that mean that I have to go through a hatchery do you think?

I did not know that there were sexed varieties that gender could be determined by the color of the shell. At what point in the incubation period can they determine this?

 

[muckmuck]

the chickens are like us they will adjust as it gets warmer its the sudden changes that are hard to handle but come july and aug they should be accustomed to it, water and shade is the most important thing some people add a misting system.

Last week my girls egg production dropped to practically nill but they are almost back to full production this week. How is everyone else's doing?

 

[coupedup]

I hate to be/sound difficult, but I don't think I could do it. So does that mean that I have to go through a hatchery do you think?

I did not know that there were sexed varieties that gender could be determined by the color of the shell. At what point in the incubation period can they determine this?

Here you go...

Sex link

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


This article is about hybrid chickens . For the biologic principles of sex linked inheritance, see Sex linkage.

​

A black sex link hen​

​

Sex-links[1] are cross-bred chickens whose color at hatching is differentiated by sex, thus making chick sexing an easier process. Sex-links come in many varieties, few of which are a true breed. As hybrids of laying or dual-purpose breeds infused with extra vigor via heterosis, sex-links can be extremely good egg-layers which often produce 300 eggs a year or more depending on the quality of care and feed.
Two common varieties are the black sex-link (also called Black Stars) and the red sex-link (also called Red Stars).[2] Blacks are a cross between a Rhode Island Red or New Hampshire rooster and aBarred Rock hen. Red sex-links are a cross between a Rhode Island Red or New Hampshire rooster and a White Rock, Silver Laced Wyandotte, Rhode Island White or Delaware hen. One example of ared linked breed is the Red Shaver. Europe has the Cream Legbar (an actual true-breeding pure breed) and ISA Brown sex-links, which also are found in Canada.[3]

 

[vegaschick]

Sex-links are not determined by egg shell color. The actual chicks have an identifying feature/color at hatch that associates with male or female. Most are created by using a gold/copper feather based roo over a silver/white feather based hen. I only WISH you could sex eggs...that way I would NEVER hatch anything but pullets.

You could always get older hens off of craigslist, but then you run a high risk of getting diseased birds. Hatchery's are usually pretty accurate in sexing chicks. If you get sex-links ones that should take all the guess work out of it.

 

[hot-hen]

Sex-links are not determined by egg shell color. The actual chicks have an identifying feature/color at hatch that associates with male or female. Most are created by using a gold/copper feather based roo over a silver/white feather based hen. I only WISH you could sex eggs...that way I would NEVER hatch anything but pullets.

^That's what I thought. I knew that sex-links were identifiable as chicks, but had never heard about identifying the sex by egg color.



I'm glad you mentioned this. I was thinking that craigslist was a bad idea.

I have been looking for a way to not buy from a hatchery, but I don't think that is going to work. So, do you have an idea as to the best hatcheries? Can I get the chicks over-nighted?

 

[vegaschick]

hot-hen: It depends on how many chicks your looking to get. Most hatcheries (that deliver to you) require a minimum order of 25 chicks. MyPetChicken lets you order 3 chicks or more but the shipping is pretty steep.

Your best bet is to find a local feed store that has sex-link chicks available. You could check with Jones Feed or V&V. They may not be offering chicks now but would in Sept.

I do see hatcheries/private sellers on craigslist that will occasionally offer sex-link chicks. Some are excess chicks from those 25 chick orders.

You could also try to go in with someone on an order of chicks.

Lots of options, but unless you travel to somewhere cooler to get them, you best wait until it's cooler to ship chicks.

 

[hot-hen]

hot-hen: It depends on how many chicks your looking to get. Most hatcheries (that deliver to you) require a minimum order of 25 chicks. MyPetChicken lets you order 3 chicks or more but the shipping is pretty steep.

Your best bet is to find a local feed store that has sex-link chicks available. You could check with Jones Feed or V&V. They may not be offering chicks now but would in Sept.

I do see hatcheries/private sellers on craigslist that will occasionally offer sex-link chicks. Some are excess chicks from those 25 chick orders.

You could also try to go in with someone on an order of chicks.

Lots of options, but unless you travel to somewhere cooler to get them, you best wait until it's cooler to ship chicks.

That is good advice and what I was already thinking. I looked online at Meyer Hatchery that many people on here have mentioned and they have an interesting assortment:

http://www.meyerhatchery.com/produc...ickens&grd_prodone_filter=PRODUCT_ID = 'APRS'

Like you said, you have to order at least 25. I thought maybe I could look for others who might want to go in on it with me. I thought I could sell the excess if not. *shrug* Do you think they would be easy to sell if I ended up with excess?

One other question: If my chicks arrive at the end of August or early September, would I necessarily have to put a heat lamp in with them? I can close off a bedroom that will stay a little warmer than the rest of the house and I was wondering how important the 90 to 100 degrees rule is. It is still pretty warm here through September.

 

[hot-hen]

It looks like Belt (Fresno) and Cackle are a little closer. Belt is a wholesale hatchery, but will sell retail online. I will probably go with one of them. I called Meyer today and they said the people who sex their chicks have a 90% accuracy rate. So on an order of 25, there would be 2-3 males. Could take up to 3 days to get them.

I feel like I am obsessing. My husband is definitely tired of hearing about chickens.