Chick arrived today, but we've lost many!

[wildthingsfarm]

We received a shipment of 150 chicks today. One was DOA and we have since lost about 10 more. Is this normal? I have our brooder set at the right temp, food and water readily available. I'm not sure what else to do! Any advice is much appreciated. Thanks!!

 

[justplainbatty]

We received a shipment of 150 chicks today. One was DOA and we have since lost about 10 more. Is this normal? I have our brooder set at the right temp, food and water readily available. I'm not sure what else to do! Any advice is much appreciated. Thanks!!

Where do you live? Where did they come from? The weather around the country has been so brutal, if they were in transit for 2 days or so the chicks on the edges may have gotten too chilled. Have you dipped a good number of the chicks' beaks in the water to encourage drinking? Do you have any save a chick to put in their water? One doa in an order that large is not a big deal but losing lots more...idk.

 

[StewedMammal]

With shipped chicks, the average loss is about 10% the total order, and since it is only the beginning of February, it wouldn't surprise me if it exceeds this amount. However, because you've only had them for a day, you will most likely lose quite a few more in the next few days. To help them, and try to prevent that, give them warm water with sugar (1 tablespoon/half gallon) and change it out every 6 hours. If you have electrolytes, put that in their water instead. Sorry to hear about your losses.

 

[Folly's place]

Welcome, and so sorry that you're loosing so many. Do your best for the little guys, and realize that very stresses chicks may just not survive, no matter what you do. Handling a sick bird may just add stress rather than be helpful, but it's hard to give up on them. I don't order birds in cold or hot times of the year, living in Michigan. All the best, Mary

 

[3riverschick]

Maybe something for you here.
How To Deal With Travel Stress In Baby Chicks
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/746509/how-to-deal-with-travel-stress-in-baby-chicks
I also use Goat Nutri-Dench with the usage and dosage instructions for the poultry formula. Tho their formulas are species specific, they also meet the scientific standards for a universal formula. So, in a pinch you can use another formula, just with the poultry usage and dosage instructions. Last year, I put the Goat Nutri-Drench in their water for the 1st month to get them off to a strong start. No sick birds, no losses. I like to stay close to the bird's size, so I only use the Pet Nutri-Drops or the Poultry Nutri-Drench or the Goat Nutri-Drench for my birds. For my collies, I use the Pet, Goat, or Beef formulas with good success.
What is important is to get their G.I. tracts functioning normally as soon as possible. Stress affects the G.I. tract. These Bovidr labs formulas do not need to be digested. They mainline directly into the bloodstream, unlike other helps. Even Gatorade-like formulas still need to be digested. You can get it at Tractor Supply or your local tack shop. If they are out of the poultry, you can use the Pet or Goat formulas successfully as I have. The trick with these stressed chicks is to interdict the timeline of the stress and stop it before the body systems start a chain reaction of failure. In puppies, a stressed pup gets hypoglycemic and the last stage before death is seizures. The Pet formula can bring back such a seizing pup in 15 to 30 minutes. The correct utilization for these formulas is 50% uptake in 30 minutes and 99% utilization. While you are Tractor Supply , buy a three ml syringe to measure out the formula into their water. It's very handy. Just give the stressed chicks one drop only by mouth every 8 to 10 hours as needed. I found my chicks preferred the 2ml dilution in their water to the 4 ml, which is just fine, according to the science tech at Bovidr.
Once you get them up and active, drinking, etc. then give them a bit of yogurt to populate the G.I tract with good flora.
Also, when they are 3 days old, give them chick starter grit. Then follow with the appropriate size grit at each age You won'tnotice any difference in their growth, however the proper size grit at the right time is helping them develop a larger, healither gizzard. As adults at point of lay or slaughter, depending on your needs, this can produce larger birds at slaughter or up to 20% more eggs in your layers. Here is where I get my grit from. It runs less than 10.00 for 50 lbs at Agway. Or call the granite company for dealers who carry it. No need to pay top dollar for the tiny bags at TSC. North Carolina Granite pioneered the use of large grit in poultry. They got their Gran-I-Grit trademark in 1935.
The Science Of Feeding Grit To Poultry ( posts one and three.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/891051/the-science-of-feeding-grit-to-poultry
excellent 2 page brochure:
http://www.jupefeeds-sa.com/documents/GraniteGrit.pdf
Best Regards,
Karen

 

[bhaugh]

If its any comfort I just received my very small order (compared to yours) of 15 chicks and Ive lost 4 and one is looking a bit sickly. This is my first hatchery order. Ive hatched eggs up to this point. The chicks I got, black sex links, are so small compared to the other chicks I hatched 4 days prior. Actually those chicks are 3 times the size. Cackle tells me they they dont refund so if I want my money back Ill have to file a dispute with my bank. Overall for me not happy and most likely wont do it again. Ive never had this big of a loss and the chicks just keep keeling over.

Barb

 

[wildthingsfarm]

Thank you for all of the great information! We are in Indiana and the chicks are from Mt Healthy Hatchery, which is in Ohio. They didn't travel too far, but it IS very cold here right now, so I' sure it was stressful for them. I m sending my husband to TSC now for the Nutri-Drench. Thanks for that tip!!

Barb, I'm sorry you'e had such loss, too!! It's tough!

 

[gimmie birdies]

I give newborns sips of egg yolk water it helps to make them strong, and their body doesn't reject it they have lived off egg yolk for 3 weeks.

 

[kyexotics]

If its any comfort I just received my very small order (compared to yours) of 15 chicks and Ive lost 4 and one is looking a bit sickly. This is my first hatchery order. Ive hatched eggs up to this point. The chicks I got, black sex links, are so small compared to the other chicks I hatched 4 days prior. Actually those chicks are 3 times the size. Cackle tells me they they dont refund so if I want my money back Ill have to file a dispute with my bank. Overall for me not happy and most likely wont do it again. Ive never had this big of a loss and the chicks just keep keeling over.

Barb

Will they replace?

 

[bhaugh]

Thanks Wildthingsfarm. I just received a call from Cackle (its Saturday) and was advised they would be refunding me for the 4 dead chicks. I did send them an unhappy email to prompt the call. At least they responded and didn't make me feel like an idiot and I received money back on the dead chicks.

Would still be reluctant to order from a hatchery again.