I still got it going.

[oneshot 1]

On 2/13/2023 at 5:59 PM, tjm said:

Names never kept me from eating or selling livestock. Just a way to keep track which one  is needing to be fed or is ready to eat.

I sold all my Goats, and yes I babyed them. Seen the guy year later.  He told me every one of them laid down and died.

Told my wife I wish I had never talked with him.

oneshot 

[Terrierman]

The chicks have grown feathers on their wings and they can fly.  Rapidly outgrowing the box.  We have a collapsible mesh brooder with a zip out bottom on the way.  It is needed! 

Still 100% survival and think they will all make it to full chickenhood status.  The question that remains is how many will be hens.....

[Johnsfolly]

1 hour ago, Terrierman said:

The question that remains is how many will be hens.....

Good Luck Rick! Before we knew what a straight run was we had a 50:50 split 🙄. Then the ones we bought from Tractor supply last year that were supposed to be hens only were also a 50:50 split 😒. That hasn't sat well with me. I suspected we had roosters early when the two were posturing to each other like the roosters from our first group of chickens.

[Terrierman]

11 minutes ago, Johnsfolly said:

Good Luck Rick! Before we knew what a straight run was we had a 50:50 split 🙄. Then the ones we bought from Tractor supply last year that were supposed to be hens only were also a 50:50 split 😒. That hasn't sat well with me. I suspected we had roosters early when the two were posturing to each other like the roosters from our first group of chickens.

How on Earth sex on baby chicks can be determined is a pure mystery to me.  Apparently it's a mystery to TSC and others too.

[Johnsfolly]

46 minutes ago, Terrierman said:

How on Earth sex on baby chicks can be determined is a pure mystery to me. 

I have never done it, but you have to look at shape of the vent. I'd post photos but the moderators would likely delete this post😅. That best done within a day of hatch. So most of the store chicks are well past that age. Could still be done but with more stress on the chick.

Like I mentioned previously at the age of your chicks you would start to see posturing between roosters if you had any. Our roosters developed their wattles faster and larger that the hens.

[tjm]

hatcheries have vent looking specialists that can sex several hundred birds per hour with ~98% accuracy within an hour or two of hatching. And there are a number of breeds or breed crossings that have sex linked color patterns, that will allow you to note the sex for days after hatching, for example; a barred hen crossed with a red rooster will produce barred male chicks and black female chicks.

[fishinwrench]

When I was training in Fla. several of my classmates had a side gig of collecting and selling gator eggs.   They control the sex of the hatchling by altering the temperature of the egg.  

According to them, that is why gators can't establish a population much further north.   They can live through our winters just fine.....but if they successfully mate then all of the offspring will be the same sex.   It takes a very specific temperature region to produce both males AND females.   

[Ketchup]

Cackle Hatchery in Lebanon has”or had” a video of an asian guy who works there sexing them via vent. They say he is 95% correct. He does it at hatching date. 

[Terrierman]

6 minutes ago, Ketchup said:

Cackle Hatchery in Lebanon has”or had” a video of an asian guy who works there sexing them via vent. They say he is 95% correct. He does it at hatching date. 

That's where these came from.  Hope he was good with the ones we have👍.

[jdmidwest]

I used to be pretty good sexing with the comb on the head and spurs on feet.  Never tried the vent method.

If you look close at the head, you will see difference in hens and roosters.  Then look at the legs for spur development.  Cocks will be more pronounced.