We have 8 total

Hey everyone! So, as you might've seen, I recently welcomed 8 new baby chicks to my little farm! Six of them are definite pullets – yay, future egg layers! But the other two are 'straight run.' This term gets thrown around a lot when you're buying chicks, and if you're new to chicken keeping, it can be a bit confusing. I certainly remember being a bit puzzled at first! So, what exactly does 'straight run chicks' mean? Essentially, it means the chicks haven't been sexed. When hatcheries sell chicks straight run, they haven't gone through the process of determining if each chick is male or female. They're just sold as they hatched, without sorting by gender. This is often why straight run chicks are a bit cheaper than pullets (female chicks) because the hatchery doesn't have to invest the time and expertise in sexing them. It's a bit of a gamble, but sometimes a fun one! The general rule of thumb is that you'll get roughly a 50/50 split of males (roosters) and females (pullets) when you buy straight run. However, nature doesn't always stick to perfect percentages! You might end up with more pullets, or, like many of us fear, more roosters. That's why my image caption asked, 'How many do you think are roosters? Lol' – it's the big question when you have straight run! I'm constantly watching their little combs and feathers, trying to spot any early signs. There are definitely pros and cons to buying straight run. On the 'pro' side, they're typically more affordable, which is great if you're starting a larger flock on a budget. Some people also believe that straight run chicks might be hardier because they haven't been handled as much for sexing. Plus, if you're looking to breed chickens yourself, you'll definitely need a rooster, and straight run gives you a chance to get one naturally. However, the 'con' list is often what worries new chicken keepers. The biggest one, of course, is the uncertainty of gender. Roosters can be loud, protective (sometimes aggressively so), and you usually only need one for a backyard flock, or none at all if you just want eggs. If you end up with multiple roosters, finding new homes for them can be a real challenge, as many urban and suburban areas have restrictions on roosters. My neighbor actually had to rehome three roosters last year because they just couldn't keep them all! Over the next few weeks and months, I'll be keeping a close eye on my two little straight run babies. It's fascinating to watch their personalities develop. I'll be looking for signs like comb development (roosters tend to get bigger, redder combs earlier), feathering (some breeds have different feather patterns for males/females), and even their posture and crowing attempts. It's a waiting game, but also part of the charm of chicken keeping! Wish me luck – hopefully, I'll have more egg-laying ladies than crowing gentlemen!