Question about hatcheries and breeders that send extra chicks.

MPC does not usually send extras, since their whole shtick is that you can order only 3 chickens, rather than 25.

The big hatcheries send packing peanuts--usually males-- of the breeds they have the highest demand for. So if they have a big hatch of RIRs to cover their pullet orders, they grab a handful of unwanted RIR males to toss in.

 

Quote:It's just to bring the number of chicks up to where they can be safely shipped......not to replace any of the pullets ordered.

 

Packing peanuts probably aren't needed in the summer. They gets sent as a sort of living hot water bottle to keep the chicks warm in cool weather.

 

I have ordered from My Pet Chicken three times. The first two times, I ordered specific breeds (all pullets) and received the exact number/breed and thankfully, all pullets! The third time, I ordered their large fowl special (25 large pullets for $50 shipped. Great deal by the way and still a few available ) They sent 27, all alive and doing well at 4 1/2 weeks. Two chicks were a little bit smaller so maybe that is why they sent 27, but both of the small chicks are thriving. My selection included RIR, Red Stars, White Leghorns, White Rocks, Brown Leghorns, Welsummers, BR, and Cuckoo Marans. One of this bunch may be a cockerel, but still too early to tell. I really like this company.

 

Quote:It's just to bring the number of chicks up to where they can be safely shipped......not to replace any of the pullets ordered.

Yes. There are two kinds of packing peanuts and it can vary by hatchery. Different hatcheries have different policies. Some, and probably most, hatcheries will sometimes use roosters to get the numbers up to help keep them warm during shipping. From what I can tell, that is usually dependent on the weather. But some hatcheries will throw in one or two extra of what you ordered if you have a big order, expecting that there might be some casualties during shipping. It is less expensive for them to ship an extra chick or two than deal with a casualty since most hatcheries will offer a refund or a credit if they die. I've got pullets of the breed I ordered as a packing peanut before.

I don't lump all hatcheries together. I do think some are better than others purely because they have different people running them and setting policies.

 

Murray McMurray hatcher sends you a free rare breed chick everytime. I ordered twenty five and got 2 free both pullets and they got the rest of my order right too.

 

Quote:oh HAHAHHAH! murry mcmurrys RARE breed! waht a joke! if a rir or a bo is rare! never heared of a rare chick being sent yet!