For those of you who want to raise your own chicks this year, good luck! Not only is it fun, but it’s also a great way to a) get your own food and b) make a little extra money if you want to.
Incubating your own chicken eggs is a super fun way to stay involved with the entire process. In fact, if you want to try this for the first time this year, I suggest you read my post about how to do it and the incubators I believe are the best.
Perhaps you don’t have time to take care of an incubator or you wish to raise a huge flock (50 groups of chickens at once).
Option #2 is a broody hen. Let her do the work for you, and you’re golden.
So that leaves you with option #3 – buying your chicks from a hatchery. This is the easiest – and by far the most popular – method of raising your own chicks.
When you sign on to the hatchery website though, there is a whole bunch of lingo that may confuse you to wit’s end.
It’s simple, and there are several advantages to doing so. Here’s what you need to know.
**J&R Pierce Family Farm is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to allow sites to earn advertising fees by linking to products on Amazon. I often link to Amazon when recommending certain products, and if you choose to purchase, I may earn a small percentage of the sale. It costs you nothing extra, and all recommended products are ones that I personally vouch for. **
Straight run chickens are an exciting option for backyard chicken keepers looking to raise a diverse flock. But what exactly does “straight run” mean? In this complete guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about these unique chickens.
What is a Straight Run Chicken?
A straight run chicken refers to a chick that has not been sexed or sorted by gender. When you purchase straight run chicks, you receive a random mix of males and females without pre-selection. This allows you to experience the natural flock dynamics of raising both roosters and hens.
Straight run chickens are not the same as sexed chicks, which are chicks that have been professionally sorted as male or female. Straight run chicks are usually cheaper to buy than sexed chickens because they haven’t been sexed yet.
Understanding Straight Run Chickens
Here are some key points to understand about raising straight run chickens
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Different genders—straight run chickens have both males (roosters) and females (hens). The exact ratio can vary.
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Natural selection – Straight run allows the natural development of chicks without gender pre-selection. This can be an educational experience.
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Genetic diversity – The mix of genders provides greater genetic diversity, improving flock health.
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Breeding potential – Having both roosters and hens enables natural breeding to expand your flock.
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Unpredictable gender ratio – Since chicks are unsexed, the male to female ratio is uncertain until gender traits emerge.
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Balancing roosters and hens – Too many roosters leads to aggression. Careful monitoring of flock dynamics is required.
Straight Run vs Sexed Chickens
Most of the time, sexed chicks have been professionally sorted by gender, but straight run chicks are of mixed gender and no one knows what they are.
Benefits of straight run chickens:
- Surprise and natural development
- Observe behaviors of both genders
- Maintain natural flock dynamics
- Enable breeding and expansion of flock
Challenges of straight run chickens:
- Unpredictable gender ratio
- Integrating into existing flock
- Managing excess roosters
Caring for Straight Run Chickens
Straight run chickens are healthy and happy as long as they are cared for and managed properly. Here are some key considerations:
Feeding:
- Provide balanced, commercial feed formulated for chickens
- Allow free-choice feeding so birds can eat according to appetite
- Supplement with treats like kitchen scraps (max 10% of diet)
- Always provide fresh, clean water
Housing:
- Minimum 4 sq ft of coop space per bird
- Good ventilation, windows, and air circulation
- Nesting boxes for hens (one box per 3-4 hens)
- Secure, predator-proof coop and run
Health Management:
- Quarantine new chickens before integrating into flock
- Check for illness, injuries, or deformities
- Ensure vaccination and health treatments are up to date
- Monitor weight and growth rates
Social Dynamics:
- Gradually integrate new chickens into existing flock
- Provide ample resources to minimize competition
- Monitor for aggression and territorial disputes
- Adjust rooster-to-hen ratio if needed
Selecting Straight Run Chicken Breeds
When selecting breeds for your straight run flock, consider factors like egg production, meat quality, temperament, appearance, and climate suitability.
Popular breeds:
- Rhode Island Reds – prolific layers, hardy
- Plymouth Rock – dual-purpose, docile
- Wyandottes – attractive, good layers
- Orpingtons – large, gentle, good layers
- Sussex – excellent layers, very hardy
Ensure you purchase straight run chickens from reputable hatcheries, breeders, farms, or associations. Thoroughly evaluate the health and quality of birds before acquiring them.
The Appeal of Straight Run Chickens
For many backyard chicken enthusiasts, the appeal of straight run chickens lies in experiencing the natural behaviors and flock dynamics. Watching the interactions between hens and roosters can be fascinating.
Straight run chickens also allow you to witness the entire life cycle through mating rituals, breeding, and hatching new chicks. The genetic diversity improves overall flock vigor.
However, the uncertainty of gender ratio means careful planning is required. Integrating into existing flocks can be disruptive if not done gradually. And excess roosters must be managed properly.
Overall, raising straight run chickens is an exciting opportunity to observe natural chicken behaviors. With proper care and management, integrating these unsexed chicks can be a rewarding endeavor for your flock.
Benefits of Buying Straight Run Chicks
Buying straight run chickens will save you a ton of money.
TIP 3: A straight run bird may not save you any money, but it depends on the type of chicken you buy and how many you buy. 50 or more per bird.
If you’re raising meat birds, buying straight run is an obvious choice – it doesn’t matter whether you are raising hens or roosters, since you probably won’t even keep them long enough for the sexual differences to appear.
Buying straight run chickens is a cost-effective method of financing your startup coop. Sexing chicks costs top dollar, since it’s a highly specialized skill that very few people can do.
TIP 4: If you buy a straight run of chickens, you’ll have roosters around to help breed the chickens.
This way, you might not have to buy chicks at all next year!
What Are Straight Run Chickens?
Straight run chickens are simply those that have not been sexed before they were sold. If you’ve ever hatched your own chicken eggs at home, they were automatically straight run because you, as the “breeder,” have no way of controlling or sexing your chicks at birth.
TIP 1: There are some ways you can sex a chick when it’s very young – but most of these are not only notoriously unreliable, but they’re also incredibly unsafe.
When you buy from a hatchery with the straight run option selected, you will receive a mixture of both female and male chicks.
TIP 2: There is no set percentage on what you are going to get – it’s essentially a gamble.
You could end up with all roosters! However, usually, it’s closer to a 50-50 mix.
What Is A Straight Run Chicken?
FAQ
What is a straight run chicken?
In other words, a straight run chicken is a chick that comes from a hatch that has not been sexed and the chicks in this particular grouping could be males or females. When adults are being talked about, the term “straight run” probably won’t come up because it’s much easier to tell what sex a chicken is at that point.
What is the difference between straight run chicks and sexed chickens?
Here’s a quick comparison: Straight-Run Chicks: A random mix of male and female chicks. Cheaper but unpredictable. Sexed Chicks: Sorted as male (cockerels) or female (pullets). Predictable but more expensive. If you’re a first-time backyard poultry keeper focused on egg-laying hens, sexed chicks may be the better choice.
Should I buy straight run chickens?
If you buy straight run chickens you’ll most likely get half males and half females. Even if you order all females or all males, you might get one or two chicks that are the wrong gender in a bunch. In this case, consider donating or raising the chick up to butchering weight to help someone in need.
Are there roosters in straight run chickens?
Straight run chickens consist of both male and female chicks. Therefore, you will have roosters (males) and hens (females) in your flock.
Are straight run chicks more expensive?
It means if you purchase straight run chicks you could get both male and female chicks. Now you have a 50/50 chance of each one of those chicks either being male or female. This part is common knowledge, either a boy or a girl. Because of the ‘unknown’ gender of the chicks, straight run chicks are less expensive to purchase than ‘sexed chicks’.
What makes a good straight run chicken?
When selecting a straight run chicken breed, consider the following key traits: Egg Production: Some breeds, such as Rhode Island Reds and Sussex chickens, are known for their high egg production. Each breed has its own unique characteristics that make them suitable for different purposes.
What breed is a straight run chicken?
You will sometimes see this phrase when buying baby chicks online. On our website we have some breeds that are “guaranteed female” and others that are sold straight run. Straight run chickens are a mix of male and female chicks. Each straight run chick has a 50/50 chance of being male or female when you order them.
What causes a chicken to stand straight up?
The yolk is produced but misses the infundibulum and becomes a free-floating yolk in the abdominal cavity. Because this yolk can’t get out of the abdomen, the hen will stand up straight like a penguin and have a big, swollen, hard belly.
What does “straight run” mean in chicken talk?
What Does the Term ‘Straight Run’ Mean? ‘Straight Run’ means that male and female birds are not separated.
What is the difference between a pullet and a straight run?
Straight Run – These will be sent as hatched, chicks that are not sexed. Pullet – a female bird that is between 1 day and 12 months old. Hen – a female bird that is over 1 year old.