2 chicks down & I’m worried about the rest! Help!

[CayugaMama]

I’m sorry, I don’t. I do hope someone can help you, though. With that many, there is a definite problem, and if it’s a problem from the hatchery, they need to know.

I agree! Anything I can do to help stop more unnecessary casualties, I want to do it!

 

[CrazyCochin]

I'm so sorry to hear this!
That is a good point. I am planning to ship one of them off tomorrow for necropsy.
It did take a while for USPS to find my box in the back and I thought "where on earth did you put those poor baby chicks and how hard is it to find the "cheeping" box!?"

a necropsy sounds like a great plan, maybe share the results on here, best of luck for the future.

 

[izzabee2]

We got 11 chicks on Sunday, and lost one today. Another also seems to be getting lethargic. She just sits and faces the wall. The other one who did died within 36 hours.

I reached out to the local farm where I got them, took rest to the vet and now all are getting antibiotics. The vet asked us for the remains of the one who was sick, I guess Newcastle disease is resurfacing in California.

I’m so sorry about all your chicks. It’s so sad.

 

[RainbowHen]

I have never heard of this. What does it do for them? I'm guessing intestinal ph, antiparasite, honey for energy? My go-to has always been boiled rice water and poultry electrolytes. I've never received sick chicks, just the occasional too cold one.

It's generally immunosupportive and has antibacterial properties without being harsh. Aids with digestion and give a bit of an energy boost. I have had great success with it. Occasionally for older birds I'll add a bit of molasses as well.

 

[debra and shenderra]

Yesterday, we received 6 baby chicks from Meyer hatchery. Yesterday afternoon I noticed one of the chicks acting very lethargic. I made sure she was getting water and hand fed her some growgel and yolk. She resisted everything. She wasn’t able to stand up on her own. Then, she started cheeping loudly like she was unhappy. Not long after, she threw her head back and died. My son was so heartbroken as it was his favorite!
Today, the same thing started happening with another chick. So I added nutridrench to their water and made sure she was in a warm spot. She just passed away in the exact same way. The inability to walk, then cheeping loudly, then death.
PLEASE HELP! What is going on with my chicks?

we ordered ours from Meyer as well and ours are sick too two have died fro different reasons but our are from two orders but were chirping loudly too

 

[Broxi]

My Meyer shipment chicks are still doing very well. I purchased two chicks from TSC the day after my Meyer chicks arrived to add to the baby flock and one of them got sickly after a couple days and died after a week of trying to support it. Its sister of the same breed is doing very well and integrated into the other 4 with no problems. The one that died was a wee bit smaller than the other but was very robust when I first got them. I think sometimes it just happens. *shrug*

 

[debra and shenderra]

one of our golden comets head was stuck in the shipping boxes cardboard separator... it had a broken leg and was just chirping every time it moved...so we held it close to our breast taking turns trying to comfort it...but in the end administered mercy

 

[bobbi-j]

@casportpony
@ChickenCanoe
@Pyxis
Can any of you give OP guidance on sending a chick off for necropsy?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I have 2 thermometers in there! Doing my best to keep it between 94-97. Chicks seem very comfortable. Of course, now I am finding old thread on dying chicks from Meyer! Wish I had done more research.

I think that is too hot for chicks a couple days old, even for weak chicks.
If you have a spot that hot, make sure they have space closer to 70-80. If they are ambulatory, they can find their comfort zone. If not and the whole brooders is that hot, they can succumb.

As for a necropsy, @casportpony has a writeup somewhere on the best way to package for shipping.
If it is hot out, I'll put a frozen freezer pack in the insulated box.
The lab always seems to think that is good.
You have several labs in TX. If you call them they'll tell you how they want the specimen packed. They may send you a FedEx label for shipping. Most labs have someone on call 24/7 but that person may not know how to do the shipping label on a weekend.


Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (Main)
483 Agronomy Road
College Station, Texas 77843-4471
Phone: 979-845-3414

Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory – Gonzales (Branch)
1162 East Sarah DeWitt Drive
Gonzales, Texas 78629
Phone: 830-672-2834

Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory - Amarillo (Branch)
6610 Amarillo Blvd
West Amarillo, Texas 79106-1706
Phone: 806-353-7478

Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory - Center (Branch)
635 Malone Dr.
Center, Texas 75935-3530
Phone: 936-598-4451

Texas Animal Health Commission State-Federal Laboratory
8200 Cameron Road, Suite A186
Austin, Texas 78754-3832
Phone: 512-832-6580

 

[CayugaMama]

a necropsy sounds like a great plan, maybe share the results on here, best of luck for the future.

I will for sure share here! Good idea