This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit <a href="https://www.brunettegardens.com?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_7">www.brunettegardens.com</a><br/><br/><p>Each of the chicks I’ve raised since early spring had a 10-20 percent chance of turning out to be a rooster. That’s the “gender accuracy” given by the hatchery. It’s notoriously difficult to sex baby chicks, so an 80-90 percent accuracy rate is actually pretty good.</p><p>Ours is a flock of barred Plymouth Rocks, bearing feathers “barred” in black and white, for an overall effect of thick, salt-and-pepper stripes, an Oreo pattern, if you will. One morning the bird with the brightest feathers, whom I named Double Stuff for that reason, issued forth a call that seemed a bit like… <em>a cockle-doodle-do</em>.</p><p><p>This narrated version is for paying subscribers. Upgrade now for further adventures in chicken keeping!</p></p>