Pros and cons of unsexed chicks?

[MyChickenShack]

Yep I guess that’s an opinion thing. Never thought about that last part though but that’s a very good and valid point. At the same time you usually do wind up with more than one rooster when you get them unsexed and it is extremely hard to rehome a rooster. There’s so many roosters without a good home or waiting for one. I see them being given out for free if somebody will just take them on craigslist or even on this site. My personal opinion is unless you Intend to keep or somehow use the rooster ( like for food) I wouldn’t go for unsexed And less you know somebody that would take in Roosters for you. That’s my opinion but not everybody’s. Which is fine. And it is harder to find the more rare breeds that are already sexed but I did find a hatchery last year that offered some of the rare breeds as pullets I think it was cackle hatchery. I’d have to go back and look. I never did end up ordering the chickens I saw on there. Just too nervous to do my first mail order

… I cant attest to what Cackle has for sale, but I know someone that orders from them routinely and is pleased....We ordered from Murray McMurray and were pleased, but my husband did all the selection at the time, so not sure what they offered in rare breeds

 

[pmoore]

I think it depends on what your intentions with your chickens- I ordered an assortment of straight run chicks from Murray McMurray. Out of 22 chicks, I ended up with 6 pullets, but this didn't upset me considering we planned on processing the cockerels. It was definitely the cheaper route, but I think I will just buy meat chickens next time only because the time and feed put into these cockerels is not worth what the end result is going to be.

 

[bruceha2000]

Kinda depends on if you have a plan for the pullets, as in "how many eggs will I get per week". Pretty much a fail if you get straight run, 100% more chicks than the number of pullets you want because you ASSUME a 50% pullet/cockerel ratio, and 75% of them are cockerels.

I saw a sign recently on a bin of chicks that said, "Straight Run Pullets." Employees are often not knowledgeable about poultry.

And I'm attached. Like crazy. Though I can't have a rooster.

He's a very SMALL rooster! Maybe he has a very small crow.

That is a very good idea, I personally just couldn't make myself eat my own birds, ha ha. But I understand why many people would; at least, as you said, you know they can get a good life while they're growing.
Plus, it's probably healthier than store-bought chicken!

That would be the case here. DD1 couldn't deal with anyone eating a bird we raised, she is an "emotional vegetarian". And yes she DOES know what happens to leftover cockerels but chooses to ignore that.

Definitely healthier eating than factory farm raised birds.

 

[MROO]

PRO:
View attachment 1454404
Silkie pullet

CON:
View attachment 1454405
Sebright ROO

And I'm attached. Like crazy. Though I can't have a rooster.

I sure wish you lived closer. I have a silver laced hen I'd trade for him. That way I'd have a pair!

 

[Glitterchicks]

I sure wish you lived closer. I have a silver laced hen I'd trade for him. That way I'd have a pair!

That would be perfect!!!
Too bad you're so far.
He's SO pretty!

 

[TLCMidMichigan]

I purchased 5 Silver Laced Wyandottes to add to my young chicks.
They were labeled pullets at the Farm, Family etc. store.
They are 7 weeks old now and are certainly female.
I'm fortunate that they had them sexed beforehand.

I hatched eggs from a local farm. Out of the 21 eggs hatched there are about 5-6 roos.
Sometime soon, chicken dinner is inevitable.

 

[The Angry Hen]

I find there are more cons than pros, but, the pros aren't little enough to rule me out from buying unsexed chicks. As a matter of fact, I find it is good to have the ability to have breeding stock; possibly meat; or a guard for the flock. An unsexed, almost mature flock, could provide you with those options. Meanwhile, all pullets will leave you with just egg layers... it's easier to take away from the flock than add. In the future, if you want a rooster, it'll be trickier but if the flock already had a rooster, they'd mature together. Make any sense?

 

[Toothpick]

if you're looking for just hens you may get roosters??

I bought 6 straight run from TSC. I don't know how....but I ended up with all 6 being roosters.

 

[MROO]

if you're looking for just hens you may get roosters??

I bought 6 straight run from TSC. I don't know how....but I ended up with all 6 being roosters.

No accusations here ... but I'm not totally convinced that the hatcheries don't do a little creative "dumping" of extra cockerels into the "straight run" orders from places like TSC. I would love to see a couple of these large feed-store places do a follow up with their patrons, just to see how close to that "50/50" ratio their orders really are ...

 

[bobbi-j]

The pros and cons depend on your flock goals. If you want a flock of egg and potential meat birds, the pros would be the extra cockerels that would be raised and processed. If you can't bear the thought of eating your chickens, that would be a con - the extra cockerels that you will end up feeding, or trying to find a home for.

I order straight run, hoping for cockerels to put in the freezer.