How to know what your order is and what are the "packing peanuts"?

[lambchicks]

Hi, I have just placed my first order from a hatchery. When my shipment gets here, how will I know what are the chicks that I ordered and what are the ones that were considered "packing peanuts"? I ordered three different kinds of chicks, with a total of 11.

 

[lotzahenz]

I used to feel special getting packing peanuts, but after feeding Leghorn Roos a few weeks and them being skittish, I decided I wish I could omit them. My packing peanuts were always the plain yellow chicks. Look at your catalog and hopefully you can tell the breeds. If not, time will tell. I have raised a few in the early days to several weeks hoping they were keepers. Problem is culling them, not easy.

 

[fasbendera]

Packing peanuts are usually male chicks (whatever they have handy) that are thrown in for warmth. McMurray hatchery has pictures of chicks so you could try and match the chicks. What breeds did you get?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Ask the hatchery to mark them. Some will use food coloring or dye so you can tell.

 

[lambchicks]

Getting some Ameracona's, Barred Holland's and some Jersey Giants. They are all pullets, I need to get rid of the others before my kids see them, if you know what I mean. Thanks for the idea Ridgerunner. When hubby saw my post he said it might be worth it just to pay the shipping insurance and not have deal with the packing peanuts.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Sometimes the hatchery will include an extra chick or two more than you ordered of the same breed and sex to account for some possibly dying during shipping. That's different than just adding some for the body warmth during shipping. A call to the hatchery might be a good thing. Most of them are really helpful if you can get through to them. At least you would know your options.

The Ameraucanas will almost certainly be Easter Eggers, not a specific color of Ameraucana. The Easter Eggers come in many different colors and patterns. That makes it practically impossible to tell which chicks are Easter Eggers versus unknown packing peanuts unless they are marked at the hatchery.

 

[Over Easy in Adna]

Last year the packing peanuts did not need to be marked for me....ever seen a naked neck?