Why the extra cockrel?

[fastEddie]

We ordered 15 pullets from Townline and got 16 all alive and apparently healthly in the mail last week.

I though I read somewhere that they may add in a cockrel to help keep the girls warm if it was still cold out. Is that true? How can one little cockrel help keep the 15 other equally small pullets warm? It there another reason for doing this?

Just curious....

 

[hinkjc]

How do you know it's a cockerel? Maybe they just threw in an extra chick in case you had a loss in transit.

 

[wohneli]

Cockerals are usually surplus at the hatchery so they send them out partly for heat, but also to get rid of some of their stock. Some hatcheries will also send a "rare" chick with the order as a bonus.

 

[FLOWERPOT]

More than likely it isnt a cockeral, but another of the same thing you ordered just in case one didnt make it in transit.

 

[ghulst]

I work there and more then likly got a xtra pullet. What did you order?

 

[sara]

I'd say if you got just one extra chick it's the same as whatever you ordered to account for any loss in transit. The only time I ordered hatchery chicks years ago that's what they did, threw in an extra and it was a pullet too.