hatching eggs

My mother's had chickens for as long as i can remember and every now and again we have chick's. The problem is we always end up with more cockerels than chickens from the eggs. This is a stupid question bet I'm seeing on web sites eggs for sale for incubation. But I'm guessing if I buy some of the I'll have the same problem? you cant tell if an egg is a hen or a cock? rite? cos some pages say 6 chickens for sale (referring to the eggs)

My mother's had chickens for as long as i can remember and every now and again we have chick's. The problem is we always end up with more cockerels than chickens from the eggs. This is a stupid question bet I'm seeing on web sites eggs for sale for incubation. But I'm guessing if I buy some of the I'll have the same problem? you cant tell if an egg is a hen or a cock? rite? cos some pages say 6 chickens for sale (referring to the eggs)

Chicken is just a generic term and means a young domestic fowl, and it can be male or female.  Pullet is the term for a young female fowl, and cockerel is a young male fowl. 

Some chicks are bred to be distinguishable at hatching, so you could buy day old pullets, others take longer to show the characteristics but if you are hatching eggs then expect half and half at best, and for some reason if there is an imbalance it tends to be more male chicks. 

Some peopleselling eggs will take the males back, but of course would not expect to buy them back from you.

All the best
Sue