Bad Experience with shipped chicks

[donnavee]

donnavee,
go to your feed store and buy the small bottle of Bovidr Labs Poultry Nutridrench. Electrolytes are good but they still need to be digested. You need to jumpstart the G.I. tract and restore the immune system in these shipped chicks before they reach a tipping point and their body systems start a cascade of failure. Drench does not need to be digested.. It mainlines directly into the bloodstream. Measureable there in minutes. All natural. It will help keep your shipped chicks from dying of travel stress.
Give each chick one drop only by mouth on arrival. Repeat as needed for any needy chicks every 8-10 hours until perky. Put 1 1/2 teaspoons of Drench in a quart waterer for the first week as they adjust to their new home. No need for any other water additives other than the drench. Give them Greek Yogurt for probiotics. Start them on chick grit when they are 1 week old.
Best,
Karen

Thanks. I used to have Nutridrench but forgot about it. Not sure it would have helped these little ones as they were in an extremely weak state. The one survivor continues to thrive and I hope she has no long term negative conditions.

 

[[E]thernet]

These are the risks you take while ordering chicks. I am only ever going to buy them in person, never online, no matter where I live.

 

[auroaSfarm]

I was planning to buy silkie eggs from someone on Facebook, she said 100% guaranteed htach rate. Should I still buy from her? She said 6 silkie eggs for 23$ that's included shipment. I really would like the eggs to be here soon because of my broody hen I'm using, I don't want her to go unbroody if its possible? What should I do?

 

[Trish1974]

Sorry you had to go through that @donnavee . I never have and never will order chicks through the mail because of how dysfunctional our local post offices are. I'm in a very rural area where the mail gets shuffled around a lot. To make matters worse I have the laziest and most hateful postal carrier who I have complained about many times but yet she still has a job. I'm surely not going to trust her or my local branch (which is NEVER open) with live chicks!

 

[av8torcrj]

I've had "generally" good luck with shipped birds but always ALWAYS make an effort to get them out of the hands of the post office as quickly as possible. I've worked in the airline industry and have seen the neglect and abuse a chirping box can receive which is, more often than not, nothing more than an item to be moved to those that handle it while in transit ( granted many of these people are not postal employees and yes I'm cynical but I've seen it first hand). My local post office told me a few weeks ago not to come before 6am to get my shipment (which they leave on a drafty shelf outside the main building presumably so they don't have to listen to them) because the worker is "alone" till that time. Living where I do I've come to expect nobody going the extra mile so no surprises.

Ive definitely learned not to order in winter or early spring when the weather is cold. This being said, I agree, a local breeder or an in person pick up from the hatchery is certainly in the best interest of the birds.

 

[Shorty22366]

I have ordered twice on line( got my second batch this morning. I can say my local post office is wo fearful with me chicks. They keep them inside (I have all of them wanting babies) and call me as soon as they get them
They all stand around waiting for me to open box
I am blessed with my post office crew.
All my babies today are healthy and strong.

 

[Shamo Hybrid]

We have ordered Chicks by mail several times in the past, and often had bad experiences, usually due to our location. Things ship past us to a more populated area's PO first, then back to us. They often take an extra day or two to arrive, and we've had very depressing box openings.

Can't you file a complaint or something with the city? I think that's just wrong if it's the case, what if you need an emergency delivery?

 

[donnavee]

Thought I would post a pic of the only one that survived. She is 9 days old now and acting completely normal so I'm hoping for the best. I think I may name her Angel.

 

[donnavee]

I have ordered twice on line( got my second batch this morning. I can say my local post office is wo fearful with me chicks. They keep them inside (I have all of them wanting babies) and call me as soon as they get them
They all stand around waiting for me to open box
I am blessed with my post office crew.
All my babies today are healthy and strong.

My postoffice is great too. It's just what happens before they get to them.

 

[Shorty22366]

My postoffice is great too. It's just what happens before they get to them.

I have been lucky.