How can I tell the difference between packing peanuts and chicks?

[pnp4kidz]

I'm hatching, not ordering, but I have to know...
what do you DO with the 'packing peanuts'?
I hesitate to ask...

 

[ThePolishPrincess]

Quote:
Because they're almost always males, it's sad to know there isn't much one can do with them. Two years ago, we ordered from McMurray and we had split an order with a friend, so they gave us 8 Red Star (six-link) packing peanuts. When they were a few months old, we gave them to someone down the road and a week later they told us, "They were delicious!"

I hate thinking that any creature raised by me would become someone's dinner, but they just weren't nice. And when I gave 'em away, they just weren't mine anymore.

 

[Over Easy in Adna]

I was planning on naked neck Teriyaki, served with rice.

 

[NOnuggets]

I hate thinking that any creature raised by me would become someone's dinner

We are the opposite...we would much rather people make a dinner out of an animal raised by us - one that lived a happy, healthy chicken life - rather than an industrial nightmare. Every chicken we put in the pot is one that didn't suffer a lifetime of cruelty. It is a hard realization that something made a sacrifice when dinner is on the table...but the kids don't waste food!
We love our packing peanuts, and were disappointed when we only got six...after reading the threads I was hoping for oodles. Maybe McMurray is more generous with packing material than Ideal...I'll try them if I ever need to order from a hatchery again...

What will we do with them? Since they are males, they'll free-range until they start breeding the hens, and fighting with my big boys, then they'll have to be raised in the tractors until they get too unruly to cohabitate...at which point, freezer camp. We always offer roosters to other farms that need to replace a roo...sometimes if we are particularly attached, we'll offer a "bundle" one roo, two laying hens to people who want to keep chickens...​

 

[ThePolishPrincess]

Quote:
We are the opposite...we would much rather people make a dinner out of an animal raised by us - one that lived a happy, healthy chicken life - rather than an industrial nightmare. Every chicken we put in the pot is one that didn't suffer a lifetime of cruelty. It is a hard realization that something made a sacrifice when dinner is on the table...but the kids don't waste food!
We love our packing peanuts, and were disappointed when we only got six...after reading the threads I was hoping for oodles. Maybe McMurray is more generous with packing material than Ideal...I'll try them if I ever need to order from a hatchery again...

What will we do with them? Since they are males, they'll free-range until they start breeding the hens, and fighting with my big boys, then they'll have to be raised in the tractors until they get too unruly to cohabitate...at which point, freezer camp. We always offer roosters to other farms that need to replace a roo...sometimes if we are particularly attached, we'll offer a "bundle" one roo, two laying hens to people who want to keep chickens...

We're quite the opposite! I's going with a small order hatchary this year because I hate to let go when the time comes (having no room for too mnay hen=having no room for too many roos) and as far as I'm concerned, the boys can be someone else's meal. It may sound irrational, but sometimes I like not knowing where they go. I raise all of my fowl as pets, strictly, and if a roo becomes unruley, well, I remind myself that his life would be cut short if he were anyone else's and try to stimulate his behavior with people. I do, however, eat these chickens when they aren't mine. It's the link that, "Hey, everyone, we're eating Joe tonight," that gets me. I made a mistake a few years ago of naming a peanut and when we couldn't keep him anymore, it was much harder to know EXACTLY where he was going and who he once was, having a name. Just the same, it's a different way of life for everyone.

 

[Oceanseve]

I'd rather eat Joe than not eat

 

[AtRendeAcres]

the last few orders I have gotten from Ideal 1/2 were girls!

My last order I think they are 6 Production Reds they are about 3/4 months & 3 are girls!

The order before that they sent BR for packing peanuts (I gave them to a friend & agin 1/2 were girls)

 

[Imp]

I've wondered about telling the difference also. Thanks for the info.

Just wondering?

If you wanted roos for eating etc. Will the hatcheries give them to you for shipping?

Imp-curiously