What are the odds?

[jeepgirl13]

Nuts

We have those, and some loose screws, but anyone hanging around here lost their marbles long time ago.

Also, watch where you step.... lots of poo around here

 

[MROO]

If you have a serious breeding program, having multiple males of the breed is actually a good thing, as you can compare their traits and quality and choose the best for breeding.

Anyone who raises birds to harvest the excess for meat knows it's not cheap. We do it because we know theres no added growth hormones, unnecessary antibiotics, and the bird wasnt fed crap, and treated worse, its whole short life.

The fighting part really depends on the temperament. I used to have a couple 2 or 3 roosters with my hens(about 40 free range, give or take a few) and really never had any spats. In fact 2 blue copper marans brothers I had never fought each other, the other rooster, or me. They were cool

I keep a bachelor flock for my extra Nankins. It's been three years, and so far, so good. As long as there aren't any ladies in the run, they get along just fine ... and they sure are purty to watch. In fact, don't tell my ladies, but "The Boys" are my favorite flock, so far!

 

[greenlydia]

I bought 15 day old straight run chicks, that are all roosters!!!

 

[MistiRose]

I don't know how breeders do it, but it seems to me that with straight run, the odds are more likely to skew to male. More people want to buy sexed pullets, so what happens to the males, and the iffy ones? They get sold as straight run. At least it seems likely with hatcheries, they still want to sell as many as they can. I could be completely wrong, but I've seen so many posts on here about people getting a high number of males with straight run chicks. That's my theory.

Some hatcheries grind them up. Some people sell them as frozen snake food. You can buy bags of baby chicks on eBay. I’m guessing those were the roosters of the group.

 

[jeepgirl13]

Some hatcheries grind them up. Some people sell them as frozen snake food. You can buy bags of baby chicks on eBay. I’m guessing those were the roosters of the group.

Some people dont even freeze them before they feed their snake/other large reptile.

Chameleons even will eat pinkies, little baby mice.

 

[greenlydia]

Where did you buy them? If you purchased them from a private breeder or at the CO-OP,
you have to accept the risk of what happened to you. Buying day old chicks from a hatchery with an excellent reputation is the only way I know how to get exactly what you want. When you buy from an established hatchery, you can order ONLY pullets females) if that's what you want, or you can add a rooster or two. You can mix and match any breeds you want or order all of the same. The chicks are "sexed" before they are sent, so there are never any surprises! With the two hatcheries I've dealt with over the years, the one drawback is that the minimum order is 25......I know that seems like a lot of chicks, but over the years these hatcheries have determined that number is the surest way to make ensure all the chicks arrive healthy.....and alive. I have only once received an order in which there were two dead chicks, but because I trust the hatcheries, I believe these chicks were "weak and sickly" to begin with and just could not stand the stress of being shipped across the country. I like roosters and always ordered 2 as it's been determined that about 12 hens per rooster is a good ratio. And when they grow up together, you don't get the in-fighting for the "top dog" position. Sorry for the rant which didn't really answer your "problem." You might get lucky and find someone who wants or needs a rooster, but the odds are not in your favor. If you are into butchering and eating them, you'll have to ask someone else about when and how to do that. I don't kill my chickens, which is NOT a judgement if YOU do. Feel free to send me a message about the hatcheries I use and they'll send you a catalog of all the chickens you can order and when they'll be sent, etc. My favorite hatchery of the two always sends an "extra" chick, but it's a "straight run" chick so you won't know if you're getting a pullet or a cockerel. Which is why I always thank them for the generous offer but decline and they totally understand. Good luck!

 

[blackandtan]

I think it’s possible, happened to me last year with straight run pheasants - 23 of 25 were hens, and with pheasants you WANT the males

 

[quack quack cluck]

Considering that hatcheries are for-profit enterprises, why be surprised that they sell their unwanted males as "straight run"?

 

[edeveraux]

I'm laughing so hard...... thanks ya'll!

 

[Thomas70]

I bought 15 day old straight run chicks, that are all roosters!!!

It is luck of the draw. I bought 15 straight run silkies and 10 were roosters. I believe the hatchery pulls a lot of the hens from each hatching to sell as sexed.