Cochin Chicks cant walk?

[shellyjimrye]

Hi there everyone.

Please pardon my ignorance with the Cochin breed but I have never had or know of anyone that has any of them so this is my only hope to find out some information.

This morning we picked up our mixed breeds of Heritage/bantam chicks. There are 50 little chicks all together. Five of them are for sure Cochin chicks. All of the other chicks are running around, eating, drinking and being your typical funny and adorable little chicks.

The five Cochin chicks appear as if they can not walk. They are laying down on their legs and cant seem to get up onto their feet. They flop around on the bottom of the brooder.

Is this something that is typical of Cochin? Will they get strength and start to walk around? Is this something that is wrong with the chicks?

I know that it isnt chill or lack of food or anything. The chicks were all hatched on the 23rd and were all shipped together in the same box. Are in the same brooder now.

When I figure out how to, I will attached a picture. It doesnt really show well how it is sitting but it acts like it got chilled or has an issue with its legs. All of the Cochin chicks do this.

Help much appreciated for I am brand new to this breed.

Shelly

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

Were the heritage and bantam breeds separated by a divider in the shipping box? If your Cochins are bantams they could have been squished. Heck, even if they're standard Cochins they could have been squished- they're small chicks. Other then that, maybe the hatchery has bad breeding stock.
Them not walking around, eating a drinking is not normal for them. They should be just as active as any other chick.
They could be very stressed from traveling thru the mail, in which case some sugar/gatoraide water wouldn't hurt. I hope they get better!

 

[shellyjimrye]

The chicks were shipped together however they were seperated in the box. Of the five, three made it, two did not. I think that they were just not going to make it, breed had nothing to do with it for the others are running around and as lively as the rest. Just sad that they didnt make it.

Thanks for the post though!