Buying from hatchery. Chicks dying

[Slh64]

Bought 30 day old chicks from a large commercial hatchery for the first time. They sent 31 by mail and they arrived next day. Two died in shipping which I understand the mortality rate is rather high for day old chickens. Day three another died. Day 4 another. Today I watched one die after trying to aid when checking on the brooder. And there’s another acting lethargic I think will probably find dead tomorrow.

I’ve never had this many chicks die but I’ve never done this many chicks at one time before. It it common to have this many deaths? They are really young not the week old chicks you’d get at a store that are hardened off a bit more. Brooder is set to 95 using heat lamp. Medicated 20% chick feed. Fresh water daily. Started giving electrolytes. No one is too hot or too cold, plenty of space to regulate. No one’s peeping in distress. Actually lots of happy chirps. But there’s so many I may have missed the ones that weren’t doing so well. Did separated observation on each individually to ensure they are eating and drinking. That’s how I found the lethargic third one. No pasty butt. Ruled out starve out since I saw them all eat.

31 chicks originally. 5 going on possibly 6 losses. That’s a lot right? Or is this the risk when buying day old chicks that are shipped?

 

[DobieLover]

How were they shipped to you where they arrived the next day? If they were flown, I feel that really causes extreme stress in chicks. I lost 9 out of 13 chicks that were flown to me. I was ill prepared for the level of stress it put on the chicks. Once I realized what the real issue was, it was too late to save the dying ones. I did find that magic water helped the survivors a lot. I used local raw honey when I made my batch. I highly recommend it.

 

[Slh64]

How were they shipped to you where they arrived the next day? If they were flown, I feel that really causes extreme stress in chicks. I lost 9 out of 13 chicks that were flown to me. I was ill prepared for the level of stress it put on the chicks. Once I realized what the real issue was, it was too late to save the dying ones. I did find that magic water helped the survivors a lot. I used local raw honey when I made my batch. I highly recommend it.

They shipped from Ohio. I’m in California. There was no heat source other than what they generated between themselves inside the box. Is that normal?

That lethargic 6th one was found dead this morning. From 31 to 25. If this is what happens with buying chicks direct from hatcheries I’m not doing it again.

 

[Ridgerunner]

It it common to have this many deaths?

No, not common. I've had three different shipments that total about 75 chicks. The largest shipment was 28 chicks. I've never received a dead chick. Sometimes they just die. When I hatch chicks the vast majority of the ones that hatch live, but occasionally one dies. When you deal with living animals you sometimes have to deal with dead animals.

The hatcheries are required to ship chicks within 24 hours of hatch. That way they can live off of the yolk they absorbed and don't have to eat and drink during a normal shipment. If shipping were delayed to more than 48 hours after leaving the hatchery you can have huge issues with the chicks.

A lot of chicks are flown around the country. Most of mine were flown. There are certain rules the airlines are supposed to follow. I don't consider it an automatic death sentence if they are flown. Yours were received overnight, well within the time limit. They had to be shipped by air to make that schedule.

Your death rates are not right. Something happened somewhere. It's possible it has something to do with the hatchery but more likely has to do with something that happened during shipping. It may even have something to so with your brooder.

Could you post a photo of your brooder? Maybe we will notice something. But I'd certainly call the hatchery and talk to them. Part of that is to possibly get credit if they guarantee live shipment but mainly to see what they think. They have certainly been through this before. If they get several complaints from this shipment it might be something they did.

They shipped from Ohio. I’m in California. There was no heat source other than what they generated between themselves inside the box. Is that normal?

30 is plenty to generate enough heat during shipment if the rules were followed.

That lethargic 6th one was found dead this morning. From 31 to 25. If this is what happens with buying chicks direct from hatcheries I’m not doing it again.

Feed stores take the risk of chicks that die during shipment. Buying from them is one way to reduce your risks. It is still possible you could lose one but your chances are better.

 

[Slh64]

Here’s my standard set up. Two temp gauges. Lamp heat. All appear active and exploring. Spaced out on the warm side. Lots of happy chirps. I’ll do another exam of everyone to check crops butts and behavior tonight.

I expected some might die but their needs are met immediately after arriving home. So the dying should stop. Could there be something going on internally? Too young for coccidiosis. Too old for starve out, 5 days old so their yolk stash has long been digested and all sustenance must be from their intake.