Chicks suddenly going downhill...

[SlipsWife]

We lost another one, a silkie that was one of the weaker ones but not one of the bad ones. This is getting ridiculous! It could have been from the cold, it was 8*F when they shipped out but they seemed to be doing so good when they got here. We've lost 6 out of 47...

Our first order this year was the one I mentioned it was severely cold. Our second order we received 14 and all 14 survived. The next order we received 27 and all survived. I then bought 10 bantams and 2 ducklings from our local TSC, everyone has survived. I'm starting to lean towards the cold being the issue but then again I know someone who received their surprise the same day and only lost 1 chick and it was spraddle legged and wasn't interested in food/water.

Next year we'll just wait until the weather is more stable.

 

[Viva-Lena]

I'm praying it to be weather. Mine seemed so bright eyed and bushy tailed. I had one with spraddle leg and pasty butt and I hobbled her and trimmed her but feathers. Now she's hops like greased lightening all over. ( she's going to be a keeper because she's a fighter no matter). I have 6 isa browns including the spraddle and all seems happy. The two I've lost are barred rocks.

 

[SlipsWife]

I'm praying it to be weather. Mine seemed so bright eyed and bushy tailed. I had one with spraddle leg and pasty butt and I hobbled her and trimmed her but feathers. Now she's hops like greased lightening all over. ( she's going to be a keeper because she's a fighter no matter). I have 6 isa browns including the spraddle and all seems happy. The two I've lost are barred rocks.

Sometimes when your only losses are the same breed it makes me wonder if it had something to do with the hatch. I wonder if that breed hatched earlier than the others and might have been older and needed food/water sooner. Or genetics, or a bad hatch...so many different possibilities...chicken can be stressful!