Chickadee, "packing peanuts" are usually included free of charge to add warmth to the chicks you've ordered. They aren't always male... I read somewhere here that someone got a bunch of buff Silkie pullets as her extras! But the males are cheaper, so in they go.
OP, I'm sorry your DH had you cancel the order. One other way to look at it, and one that makes me cringe, is that Easter isn't that far away. Baby chicks, sold with a baggie of proper chick starter and instructions on how to raise them, are pretty popular purchases. That's how I got my first chicks, more than 35 years ago! However, that's what makes me cringe. The farm where we got my dozen chicks (yep, a dozen!) just put them in a box and sold them to us. No feed, no instructions, nothing about heating, nothing. I ended up giving all but the little roo, Groucho, away. If you had extra chicks, roo or pullet, an *educational* chick sale for Easter could be an option. Or put up signs at your local feed store or on Craigslist. Good luck with the little peeps you have!
