Chicks came, three dead and one with pasting and swaying on her feet

[darlingdarla]

Our chicks came today, three were dead in the box and only two made it. One seems fine but the other has severe pasting. I think I delt with it and she pooped once. The poor things are huddling under the heat lamp now.
The one who dosen't seem right is a buff silky bantam, she has pasty butt which I am trying to deal with. She's very unsteady on her feet and has been drinkinga bit of water. I think I managed to remove all the pasting, but I don't know what to do now. I don't know if I should force her to drink more since she's definitely dehydrated or just let her rest for a bit first. I removed the pasting and applied a tiny bit of antibiotic ointment. I'm hoping she starts to perk up now that she's out of the box and under a lamp. She keeps swaying on her feet and standing with her eyes closed.

I don't know what to do for them, I don't have any nutridrench but I have electrolytes and probiotics in their water. They haven't touched food, I think the particles are too big for them so I'm crushing some with a mortar and pestle.
All advice is extremely appreciated, I've never had an experience like this before.

 

[LaFleche]

You could offer some millet spread all over the floor of the brooder and scrambled eggs.

Providing a darker towel underneath will make the millet more enticing and stimulate them to pick and eat.

Edit: They will need a little dry sand to digest anything you give them other than starter crumbles.

Where did you order the chicks? You should let them know and have them righten this sad and unfortunate experience.

 

[darlingdarla]

You could offer some millet spread all over the floor of the brooder and scrambled eggs.

Providing a darker towel underneath will make the millet more enticing and stimulate them to pick and eat.

I'll try the scrambled eggs soon and I'll put a towel underneath them, they started pecking at the feed as soon as I crushed it and have been messing with it for a while. The silky isn't doing so hot, she was up and walking for a while and drinking, she did peck at some food but mostly she just stands there and sways with her eyes closed.

 

[LaFleche]

but mostly she just stands there and sways with her eyes closed.

You might want to make her drink some sugar water with a dropper. Only one drop at a time so not to drown her.

 

[Isaac 0]

Sorry about your chicks.

Shipping can be very hard on chicks, the most we can do right now is just provide some supportive care.

Keep them warm, you can offer them some mashed scrambled eggs for protein, and administer a drop of a poultry vitamin like Rooster Booster, or NutriDench right alongside their beak, or dip their beak into a little bit of the liquid for barley a second. These can found at any feed store.

 

[darlingdarla]

You might want to make her drink some sugar water with a dropper. Only one drop at a time so not to drown her.

Sorry about your chicks.

Shipping can be very hard on chicks, the most we can do right now is just provide some supportive care.

Keep them warm, you can offer them some mashed scrambled eggs for protein, and administer a drop of a poultry vitamin like Rooster Booster, or NutriDench right alongside their beak, or dip their beak into a little bit of the liquid for barley a second. These can found at any feed store.

Thank you both. I'm so irritated, we've ordered chicks before and mostly knew what to expect but dealing with the postal service this time was a pain, the box smelled when we picked it up so I knew it wasn't going to be good.
I'll be keeping a close eye on them for a few days and helping them where I can. All the stores near me are sold out of nutridrench and most other chicken products, they haven't been in stock for months, I'm going to order some nutridrench online but for now I'm going to try giving her sugar water.

 

[Isaac 0]

Thank you both. I'm so irritated, we've ordered chicks before and mostly knew what to expect but dealing with the postal service this time was a pain, the box smelled when we picked it up so I knew it wasn't going to be good.
I'll be keeping a close eye on them for a few days and helping them where I can. All the stores near me are sold out of nutridrench and most other chicken products, they haven't been in stock for months, I'm going to order some nutridrench online but for now I'm going to try giving her sugar water.

Didn't you say you have electrolytes/probiotics? Take a pinch of the powder( If you still have some) and mix it in with a little bit of water, and then you'll have your own little concentration there.

 

[darlingdarla]

Didn't you say you have electrolytes/probiotics? Take a pinch of the powder( If you still have some) and mix it in with a little bit of water, and then you'll have your own little concentration there.

Thank you, they're both eating a little bit now. I'm wondering if the silky is swaying because of her extra toes? Could they be throwing her off balance?
I feel really guilty, only two little bantams survived, and there were supposed to be two silkies, I was prepared to set them up in their own little coop if they didn't integrate with the flock well but now she'd be all alone.

 

[LaFleche]

Thank you, they're both eating a little bit now. I'm wondering if the silky is swaying because of her extra toes? Could they be throwing her off balance?
I feel really guilty, only two little bantams survived, and there were supposed to be two silkies, I was prepared to set them up in their own little coop if they didn't integrate with the flock well but now she'd be all alone.

You will have to get some more of the same age, the sooner the better.

 

[darlingdarla]

You will have to get some more of the same age, the sooner the better.

I'll look into it and see if I can find a place near me, I'm also emailing the company to get my refund. I don't know where to start though I've bought chicks from the same company three years in a row now, this is the first big loss I've had (and it's definitely on the postal service). I looked up a hatchery near me months ago though, I'm going to see if I still have their number.