Adding Fruit during Shipping

[rainbowhatchery]

Hello all. I know many people add fruit like part of an apple to adult birds when shipped and many people use the gro liquid feed for baby chicks. Im not a fan of the liquid as it just seems to get wasted and make a mess. Has anyone included fruit, like half an apple, with day old chicks, any thoughts. I typically dont include anything and they do just fine 99% of the time however if its beneficial in any way I have considered it as some shipments to rural places in Texas for example can take longer than normal. Just curious if anyone has tried the fruit with chicks as opposed to adult birds.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

someone shipped some chicks to me with pieces of mandarin orange

 

[rainbowhatchery]

Did it look like the chicks had eaten any of it?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

As it turns out, the chicks were lost in transit and ended up missing for another day.
When they arrived there was no orange or feces. They had eaten everything on their trip. I'm sure it helped as they were all alive and vigorous.

 

[rainbowhatchery]

Very cool to hear, I figure it definitely cant hurt if I know its going to take 2 days as opposed to overnight. Worst case scenario I guess they dont eat it lol.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

They were very rare chicks I had been searching 2 years to find. When I did, the chicks were already 3 days old by the time they were shipped and were supposed to be overnighted but didn't make it here. Being lost another day depressed me and I was shocked at their condition.
I know this is anecdotal but as you said, it can't hurt.
I know people have used apple but I think the mandarin orange may be better because the skin on the slices may hold the moisture in and apple pieces are harder. Unless they're rubbed with lemon, they turn brown when exposed to air.

 

[rainbowhatchery]

Good point, we are a rare breed hatchery so we only sell and ship rare and endangered breeds so getting them all to their new home safe and sound is alot more important and worth the effort since they are not just $2 backyard breeds easy to replace. I will just have to experiment. We ship priority at day old most of the time and shipping is usually 1-2 days and we rarely ever have a problem but there are some rural places that sometimes stretch that out in Texas and we are trying our first shipment to Hawaii shortly. An orange seems like it would have more juice and moisture too which is probably more imp than the food aspect actually, water.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Yeah. You can't use water in any form but the gro-gel should be an option.
The fresher the orange the more moisture contained.

What breeds do you sell.
I breed Black Penedesencas. I love them for so many reasons.

Never mind, I just visited your website.

 

[rainbowhatchery]

Yeah I have gotten the grogel in many orders but Im not a fan. Its to messy and just gets wasted. Fruit is a bit more solid but not solid enough they cant peck at it, that was at least my thinking.