Excitment has changed to grief

[Frizzledhen]

I was suppose to receive my bantam chicks yesterday or today at the latest. The post office tracked them down still in Detroit and at least a day away from a warm brooder , food and water. Tomorrow will be five days since hatching. I do not expect any live chicks. I called the hatchery and they said the chicks hatched Saturday and were shipped the same day. I don't blame the hatchery and that is why I will not mention their name. The post office seems to have dropped the ball on this one. The hatchery said they would make it good and ship more chicks but I don't think I can face any more dead chicks. This is the first time I have ordered chicks, actually the first time owning chicks. If I didn't have so much money already wrapped up in this 4-H project I would find another interst for my grandson. He is crying his eyes out and is heartbroken but still wants to show bantams for 4-H. I called our feed store and they won't get bantams in until May. That will put my grandson way behind the other kids in his group. I guess I will just have to have more sent from the hatchery but I won't get excited until they are in the brooder, healthy, eating and drinking.
Sorry for the sob story. I was really looking forward to showing off the new chicks to the group.
I am happy for those with their new chicks, congratulations!
Gayle
Chi lady in Michigan

 

[Llysse]

Oh, how awful! I really feel for you.

 

[frelima]

Yes, the same thing happened to me two weeks ago. I was expecting 25 chicks, and nothing, then on tuesday I got a call from a post office 200 miles north of me that the chicks arrived and were "very dead".
But I called the hatchery and they were very nice and we decided to wait two weeks until the weather (there) "warmed up" to over 40 degrees, and try again, this time insured so they would not be mis routed.
Yesterday I got a call from the post office here that they had arrived but just one or two were cheeping weakly.
By the time I got there, about 30 minutes later, I could hear healthy cheeping when I walked in the door. They had warmed up and were alive and vigorous, every last one of them! The normally gruff postal worker was cooing over them and petting them while I was signing the receipt!


It is sad when they do not make it, but I guess it is a chance we take with their fragile little lives and the system.

julie

 

[bayouchica]

Hi Gayle, so sorry, it's tough....

Miriam

 

[SpottedCrow]

I'm so sorry about the chicks, Gayle.
Newly hatched chicks can survive on their egg yolks for about 4 days...so I'm

that they'll be okay.

 

[jmofaustin]

I know it is not the hatchery's fault, but are they the closest to you? If you can find a closer hatchery, maybe the PO would not take sooo long. Were they shipped priority mail?

 

[Sharisr32]

This is very common -- my first shippment was all dead 25 - number 2 was three dead

The second shippment was insured which i have found makes a huge difference in mailing time and will pay anything extra for that from now on --

My one word of advise do not open any new chick box infront of kids ---

 

[helmstead]

that is so sad! I've had uncannily good luck with my shipped chicks, I guess. Crossing fingers that they're ok.

 

[Frizzledhen]

Well I received my chicks via special delivery by a very kind postal lady. She went looking for the chicks and found them in a near by town. Unfortunatly, only seven out of 31 made it. Two of the 7 seem to have leg problems. They can't stand and sorta scoot around, more like roll around. They are all kinda stumbly but the two that can't stand can't seem to straighten their legs out. Is there anything I can do for them? They are all drinking and eating. I gave them the gro gel plus which is suppose to get them off to a good start. Tonight I will add the quick chick to their water.
Yes, they were shipped priority mail.
Gayle
Chi lady in Michigan

 

[bayouchica]

Gayle, sounds like it could be spraddle leg, here's a couple of links for ya...
This one has some good step by step

http://www.poultryhelp.com/spraddle.html

http://peafowl.org/ARTICLES/1/

I hope that'll help ya,good luck glad to know some of them made it.So how's your grandson? I hope he's feeling better now

Miriam