babies not on the morning truck:(

[kalisgirl]

I am so glad you found them! They might have been even worse if they had waited until tomorrow. Let us know how things go.

 

[AccidentalFarm]

Correct me if I'm wrong guys, but couldn't aran put a drop of water in the chicks mouths with an eyedropper to maybe get some fluid into them?

 

[aran]

yeppers i dipped everyones noses in the water which i had added a little sugar to per the instructions of the hatchery.

Jeez i SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO have to get some more of these!!! they are the cutest thing on earth i think.

Hopefully all of them will be ok but if not i will call the hatchery in the morning.

Guys since this whole shipping chicks thing has been pretty stressful i am going to look at hatching eggs here. How hard is it and how feasible is it to build an effective incubator for cheapish and hatch eggs at home?

 

[BeckyLa]

I'm soo glad they're doing ok so far. I hope they all make it fine.

You've really opened the door now. You'll get lots of opinions about hatching eggs. I read about a lot of great hatches (usually from BYC breeders shipped eggs) and lots of 0 hatches. I've only tried shipped eggs one time without a single pip. But then I have very poor results even from my own birds eggs. I've read a lot of bad things concerning shipping eggs bought from eggbid or eBay.

Yes, shipping chicks is very stressful, for them and us. Have you tried talking around at the feed stores looking for folks with chickens or who sell eggs? Most folks who sell eating eggs have a roo in with them so they would be fertile. Or check the adds in the paper or shopper for chickens/chicks/eggs for sale. You can also try a different hatchery. One closer to where you live, with a good reputation, who will guarentee shipment on Monday, and who will put your phone number on the outside of the box requesting the PO to call you upon arrival. Preferably the regional PO. Where you got them today.

Just a few suggestions. I like acquireing adult birds then hatching from them but dh is raising 23 Americaunas he got in the mail. He lost 3 of them the first few days but still has 23. Just some things to think about. The first thing I would do would be to checkout all your local farmers and closest BYC members.

Have fun with your babies. Sorry this got so long......

 

[aran]

no not at all im really happy with all the help everyone has given me...my beloved wife and I are going to make this our new hobby together!
What do I do if these chicks dont get any better and start looking like dying? I mean I guess I can call the hatchery and tell them but that would mean what more chicks in the mail? I guess that would be ok if i paid the extra for express overnight mail.

The RI whites are the cutest and they are the sickest

 

[Southern28Chick]

I am so sorry you had to go through all that stress. The PO didn't call me the day mine came in and I rushed over at 6 on the morning praying the whole way that they would be there. I couldn't imagine how you were feeling. I hope they all pull through.

I had 1 DOA and 1 that's blind and I'm sure she won't make it. I will probably never order chicks in the mail again because I have been so stressed out these past couple of days that I can hardly sleep.

I'm praying for your babies.

 

[chickbea]

Quote:
Unfortunately, hatching eggs in an incubator has its own risks. Temperature and humidity need to be kept at specific levels; failure to do so can result in pathetic, half-alive little creatures hatching out with some nasty problems you won't want to witness.
Your best bet for trouble-free chick ownership is to find a feed store or local farmer that sells day-old chicks. You can pick out a nice healthy batch (if you can manage not to bring home the little runt huddled in the corner, which I can never manage to do!

If you want to raise chicks the most adorable way of all, do it with a hen! I had never done it before, but a couple of months ago I put some fertilized eggs under one of my old hens, and 21 days later: little fluffballs chasing momma! Watching her teach them things was just too much!

 

[aran]

how do you mean put fertilized eggs under a hen...u mean eggs not belonging to that hen? how do you get the hen to sit on them?

 

[chickbea]

I used one of my hens (Dorothy

) that had just lost the remaining member of her original group, so she was all lonely. I didn't want to integrate her into a new flock. She also happens to be a sweetie, and I wanted to be able to get close to those little chicks! It's no fun if you have a crotchety old biddy who never lets you get close. Dorothy's a NHR, which is a breed known for its broody nature. That part is important. You won't have any luck trying to get a Leghorn to go broody, for instance!
I let her start going broody by replacing the egg she layed each day with a wooden egg (you can get them at a craft store or farm supply). Once a few built up, she started showing more and more interest in hanging out on the nest. Once I was sure she was cevoted to the process, I went and picked up some fertilized eggs, and substituted those for the wooden ones while she was off the nest having a snack. After that it went just like the books say it should. She was a fabulous momma!
I didn't mean to turn you off from incubating - a lot of folks do it successfully, but it can be troublesome.
Good luck, whatever you do!

 

[AccidentalFarm]

aran- how are the chicks doing?