info on packing peanuts

[suzyq53511]

are they always male? or can i hope for some females?

 

[drunkdog]

I dont know I oredered 15 pullets and one cockerel ...I got 17 total birds....only the cockerel I ordered is labeled...and we gave 5 to the neighbor....sooo did I get an "extra/miscount" or did I get two roos...my luck I gave the other roo away ...this neighbor I have known for 20years, shell yell at me if so :O ...lmao...I am curious though

 

[Ridgerunner]

Since the success ratio of vent sexing is about 90%, then there is always a possibility that a packing peanut will be female. You are never without hope!!!!

It really depends on the hatchery policies and their ethics. Are they adding a packing peanut to help keep the others warm? Or maybe they are adding a packing peanut in case of losses during shipping? If it is to keep the others warm, then it is likely to be a male and not necessarily one of your chosen breeds. If it is to cover possible losses during shipping, it should be from the same bin the ones you ordered came from. If you ordered nothing but pullets, then it really should be a pullet. Remember the 90% accuracy on sexing. If you ordered all pullets. it is very possible that your packing peanut is a pullet but one of the regular pullets is actually one of the 10% males. You may be convinced they shipped you a male packing peanut when that is not the case at all.

I ordered 6 straight run Buff Orps from Cackle hatchery, along with some other chicks. My packing peanut was one Buff Orp. All seven were female although I ordered straight run.