Chilly Cornish Cross. Meaties Round 3!

[Parront]

They are always cute as chicks. I chalk a loss this soon up to shipping, too. Even layers sometime just don't make it. These guys are pretty willing to "fail" at any age. I am not even going to try them here in mile-high Prescott. The Red Broilers, Used to be called Red Rangers, now named "Jackies", are what I am looking at. A red broiler mate for this pullet, from the "Crossing my Red Rangers" thread by @Compost King is what I have in mind. They sell male Jackeis for $1.50, plus shipping. What's to not like? I have eaten a lot of little fryers in the past year. The Barred Hollands are bigger than a Leghorn, but not like a modern meat bird in any way. I would like to eat the larger roasting size guys this year!
This photo is from last August, she was about 3 months old, grew pretty fast. Lays nice eggs now.

 

[Tre3hugger]

They are always cute as chicks. I chalk a loss this soon up to shipping, too. Even layers sometime just don't make it. These guys are pretty willing to "fail" at any age. I am not even going to try them here in mile-high Prescott. The Red Broilers, Used to be called Red Rangers, now named "Jackies", are what I am looking at. A red broiler mate for this pullet, from the "Crossing my Red Rangers" thread by @Compost King is what I have in mind. They sell male Jackeis for $1.50, plus shipping. What's to not like? I have eaten a lot of little fryers in the past year. The Barred Hollands are bigger than a Leghorn, but not like a modern meat bird in any way. I would like to eat the larger roasting size guys this year!
This photo is from last August, she was about 3 months old, grew pretty fast. Lays nice eggs now.

Sounds like an interesting project. I have heard cornish x don't do very well up high. My elevation is a modest 350ish feet. Red rangers seem perfect for you. Ever look into Freedom Ranger Hatchery? https://www.freedomrangerhatchery.com/freedom-ranger-chickens.asp
There customer service and meat bird quality, ime, is top notch.

 

[Tre3hugger]

Just came home from work to tragedy. 10 dead chicks. None of them under the heater. I am guessing they were too cold. I had the new heater on the "brooder" setting (40w) because that is what I was using it for. Guess it should have been on the heater setting (200w). I am trying not to beat myself up but it is not really working. This is hitting me hard.
I bumped up the heater to the 200w setting and added my other rent a coop brooder plate to the coop. Took care of the deceased and shed a little tear. I know I will be out there randomly all night to check on them. How do you guys deal with losses like this? I hope they make it through the night.

 

[Morrigan]

Very sorry to hear this. Did they look lively coming out of the shipping box? 60 hours shipping in cold weather might have really weakened them. I think adding extra heat is a good idea. Really pulling for your remaining chicks.

 

[Tre3hugger]

Very sorry to hear this. Did they look lively coming out of the shipping box? 60 hours shipping in cold weather might have really weakened them. I think adding extra heat is a good idea. Really pulling for your remaining chicks.

I think it was my fault for using the "brooder" setting instead of "heater" setting. New tool, not much margin for error with the current temps. I have it on "heater" setting now. Just checked on them and everyone is snuggled up under it. This is a VERY hard lesson.

 

[Torinik]

Sorry to read about your loss. I had something similar happen some years ago. Now I side on the safe side and provide ample heat the first week or so, better too much than too little. Make sure your brooder is big enough for them to move away from the heat source when they need too.
When I find them in the corners away from the heat, it's safe too turn it down a bit. It's always tricky when you have freezing temperatures outside. Since that bad experience I moved the brooder to my heater-room where it doesn't freeze and the temperature is quite constant. This makes it easier to keep the brooder temperature up without having spots that are way too hot and spots that are way too cold. The sweet spot, I find, is when they are playing and exploring, instead of curled up under the heat or away from it as far as possible.
My loss back then bugged me for quite a while and I blamed myself. But there's external factors that are sometimes hard to control. Keeping day old chicks warm enough, without overheating them, in freezing temperatures is one of them. Once they cool down past a certain point, no amount of care will bring them back and they will slowly die, so it's well possible they cooled down during transport.

 

[Parront]

Sounds like an interesting project. I have heard cornish x don't do very well up high. My elevation is a modest 350ish feet. Red rangers seem perfect for you. Ever look into Freedom Ranger Hatchery? https://www.freedomrangerhatchery.com/freedom-ranger-chickens.asp
There customer service and meat bird quality, ime, is top notch.

That is where I saw the "Jackies" for 1.50 -- male only. The original was a Red Ranger from them crossed with Silver Grey Dorkings.

 

[casportpony]

So sorry!

 

[Parront]

Just came home from work to tragedy. 10 dead chicks. None of them under the heater. I am guessing they were too cold. I had the new heater on the "brooder" setting (40w) because that is what I was using it for. Guess it should have been on the heater setting (200w). I am trying not to beat myself up but it is not really working. This is hitting me hard.
I bumped up the heater to the 200w setting and added my other rent a coop brooder plate to the coop. Took care of the deceased and shed a little tear. I know I will be out there randomly all night to check on them. How do you guys deal with losses like this? I hope they make it through the night.

I think you had it on the right setting, but I agree with others here, shipped chicks can need higher temps, especially at first. I have had them crowding under the hanging heater at the recommended 90 - 95 and had to raise it to 100 degrees to get them to spread out. Sometimes nothing beats the old fashioned hanging heater and a cup of coffee -- watching them a lot method. I have had chicks die, too. You would not be normal if it did not upset you! Even chicks that will be food when grown are so helpless and cute when they are tiny that losses are tough to take.

 

[Tre3hugger]

This F*in heater burned the backs of the chicks last night on the higher setting. Ughh. I now have the heater standing up as a space heater and my rent a coop brooder plate in there. Down to 10. If I lose one more I may lose my marriage also, because I am bringing the remaining chicks inside for a week or two.