Disappointed with hatchery chicks

My girls were shipped on March 26 to northern ontario. It was minus 15c that morning. They are no problems whatsoever. Shipped from Freys in southern ontario. Yesterday i moved them to a larger brooder. I put 2 boxes together and cut a hole in each. They are loving their new 6 foot larger space. I put the water and feed in the box thats has no heat. That saves alot of mess in the water and food. The water stays clean all day. They are almost 3/4 feathered already. My 5 red sex linked are doing awesome and are so happy.
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I got 15 chicks on Thursday, as I posted earlier.. They were shipped on Monday. I had lost a few right away, have lost 7 at this time, 4 Welsummers, 2 Wyandottes & 1 Partridge rock. That's almost 1/2 the order! :( I'm very disappointed. I get chicks every year and have only lost one before. I buy chicks from this particular hatchery every year because they carry breeds I can't get locally. I contacted them right away when I got the chicks to let them know I was having problems, and did get one of those emails that politely tells me how i might be doing things wrong. I called yesterday (at around 30 hours) when the lost count was at 5, because when I checked the breed availability...two breeds were unavailable and the Welsummers said unavailable right away, but "very limited" in a couple of weeks. I lost 2 more since yesterday (one within the 48 hours, and one at about 54 hrs) and the hatchery is saying that since I spoke to someone and placed a replacement order, they're not going to honor the other two losses. So, in a nutshell..almost 1/2 my order died, I can't get two of the breeds that were lost, at all..and they're not going to refund me for the other 2 because I was worried about the "limited availability) and I placed an order before the 48 hours was up. I may just have to buy locally from now on. :(
 
~~You may be having a problem with shipping stress in your chicks. Here, read post number one in this thread. It will help you! https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/746509/how-to-deal-with-travel-stress-in-baby-chicks Tractor Supply has the best price at 6.99 for a 4 oz. bottle , plenty to get you started. If they are out of Poultry Nutri-Drench, you can use Pet Nutri-Dops with the same usage and dosage instructions their science techs gave me in post number one. The genius behind this product, manufactured under 2 US patents, is that it doesn't need to be digested. Mainlines directly into the bloodstream. All other helps need to be digested . When your chicks are stressed, one of the 1st problems is their G.I. tract is compromised and they have problems uptaking the helps you are giving them. You can also get these products at feed stores. It is very concentrated and works very fast . 99% uptake in 1/2 hr. compared to up to 3 hrs. for digesting other helps. I have used it on my collies and birds for over a decade. Best Regards, Karen in western PA, USA
 
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Another one died today. 7 dead; 11 surviving.

I have been reading all of the post here and understand what you are going through
as I have lost half of an order but that was do to being shipped in the summer and
it was just to hot 110F I do believe but anyway I have learned to do this on all my
chicks and that is to feed a hardboiled egg to them 1 egg per 10 chicks 1 in the
morning and one in the evening as this helps to improve the immune system and
after about three days stop but in your case I would say 4 or 5 day's might not hurt
and this is not like some store bought meds but their own natural medicine if you
wish ..... Best of luck Costello .....
 
Thanks for everyone's help, advice, and sympathy. It appears the 11 I still have will survive. If I ever order chicks through the mail again, I'll try the tips suggested here.

Thanks again.
 
I'd be traveling up the chain of command with this hatchery regarding the other 2 deaths if I were you. It's obvious that there was a problem with this shipment. If they were not looking so good before the 48 hours, they definitely should be replaced.
 
Thanks for everyone's help, advice, and sympathy. It appears the 11 I still have will survive. If I ever order chicks through the mail again, I'll try the tips suggested here.

Thanks again.

I hate to bother you but I haven't seen anything for a couple of days is everything going ok
I take it you haven't encountered anymore losses and everything is fine now ....
smile.png
 

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