how do you know if the extras in your hatchery order are roos?

[tazzy]

we received two orders last week from meyer hatchery and cackle hatchery. each time, they added in a couple of extra chicks.

how do we know if the extras are roos or hens? will they have marked the roos, as they do the roos that we ordered? (the light brahma roos we ordered have a purple spot marked on their head.)

or is it a mystery if our extras are roos or hens?

thanks!

 

[Poulets De Cajun]

Probably a mystery...

 

[melissastraka]

Cackle will mark them with some sort of dye on the top of their heads, the invoice usually says too about gender but not breed. I actually ordered 10 males and they gave me 12 so now i have 6 with green heads and 6 with orange necks...lol...it like skittles!!!

 

[tazzy]

thanks! that's good to know that Cackle marks the extras. what about Meyer Hatchery? We only ordered pullets from Meyer, so do they mark their roosters, too? And would the Meyer roosters if sent as extras be marked?

 

[melissastraka]

i have never ordered from meyers so i am not sure. i like to pick one or two hatcherys snd stick with them. i also get a lot locally

 

[mrandmrschicken]

they will almost certainly be roos. far more of them hatch than they can use. pullets are much more popular, they have a function. roos are used as packing peanuts for warmth.

 

[Pumpkinpup]

Extras are always roos unless the hatchery messed up

It could happen

 

[swampducks]

I ordered from Meyer last year, 2 breeds, they sent me one extra chick each. I ordered straight run and got about a 50-50 mix of buckeyes but every one of my GLWs, including the extra turned out to be pullets. So you won't know till they're older, unless you bought sex links.