First experience, new chicks, not good..

[Trenttrent]

Well, I’ve spent the last couple months getting ready for 6 mail order Plymouth Rock.
USPS from MO to KY took 70 hours
Company sent 7, 5 were alive out of the box (Friday afternoon)
Brooder set up in 65 degree shop, 95 degree localized heat x2
Water with electrolytes, chick feed
Found 2 had died (Saturday morning)
Down to 3 healthy looking/acting chicks (Saturday evening)
3 chicks maintaining (Sunday morning)
Found another chick dead (Sunday evening)
2 remaining chicks look good, eating/drinking

We have handled them for about 10 minutes, twice per day.
Not sure what to expect tomorrow…

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I'm sorry for your experience. The chicks need a cool area as well as a warm one. Remove one of the heat sources so they can get to a cool area if they wish. Are you checking for pasty butt?

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Describe their behavior? Are they peeping, cheeping, panting, standing with wings away from body, huddling together, running around, mostly sleeping, etc.?

 

[MerryNH]

Well, I’ve spent the last couple months getting ready for 6 mail order Plymouth Rock.
USPS from MO to KY took 70 hours
Company sent 7, 5 were alive out of the box (Friday afternoon)
Brooder set up in 65 degree shop, 95 degree localized heat x2
Water with electrolytes, chick feed
Found 2 had died (Saturday morning)
Down to 3 healthy looking/acting chicks (Saturday evening)
3 chicks maintaining (Sunday morning)
Found another chick dead (Sunday evening)
2 remaining chicks look good, eating/drinking

We have handled them for about 10 minutes, twice per day.
Not sure what to expect tomorrow…

I am brand new to chicks too, so I have zero "advice" to give...but I too got my first ones on Friday (shipped from MO. Were yours from Cackle?)

I first want to say I'm so sorry you lost so many so far! That is so disheartening.

I lost one little runty one the morning after arrival. It just didn't have interest in drinking or eating. I kinda knew it wasn't going to do well but I held it for a bit on my lap with a heating pad/towel just to make it feel loved while it was still alive.

I did have to help many come back to the waterer (I'm using a nipple type from Rent a coop) ...and have a brooder plate along with a heat pad (that they can step on) to keep them warm.

I didn't want them choosing between being warm and eating/drinking, so I placed some food scattered on the warm plate. (they ended up loving it and falling asleep for naps lol) I put their waterer super close to their brooder plate too so they'd only have to duck out for a few seconds if cold. They have tons of room to run around with no heat if they are too warm, too.

I guess that's the only thing I can tell you that I think is working which is...making it warm where they eat/drink so they can have the best of both worlds. (full belly and feel warm) but lots of room to cool off too. Well, that and constantly replacing paper towels with poop on them for fresh ones (so I can keep an eye on what's coming out and if it looks ok)

I hope your remaining few perk up and do well!

 

[Trenttrent]

They have room in the brooder for them to get away from the heat.
Remaining 2, run around when we interact with them. They step up onto a 2x4 block, eat/drink/chirp. Have not Checked for pasty butt.

 

[Trenttrent]

I am brand new to chicks too, so I have zero "advice" to give...but I too got my first ones on Friday (shipped from MO. Were yours from Cackle?)

I first want to say I'm so sorry you lost so many so far! That is so disheartening.

I lost one little runty one the morning after arrival. It just didn't have interest in drinking or eating. I kinda knew it wasn't going to do well but I held it for a bit on my lap with a heating pad/towel just to make it feel loved while it was still alive.

I did have to help many come back to the waterer (I'm using a nipple type from Rent a coop) ...and have a brooder plate along with a heat pad (that they can step on) to keep them warm.

I didn't want them choosing between being warm and eating/drinking, so I placed some food scattered on the warm plate. (they ended up loving it and falling asleep for naps lol) I put their waterer super close to their brooder plate too so they'd only have to duck out for a few seconds if cold. They have tons of room to run around with no heat if they are too warm, too.

I guess that's the only thing I can tell you that I think is working which is...making it warm where they eat/drink so they can have the best of both worlds. (full belly and feel warm) but lots of room to cool off too. Well, that and constantly replacing paper towels with poop on them for fresh ones (so I can keep an eye on what's coming out and if it looks ok)

I hope your remaining few perk up and do well!

Brooder is 2’x2’. Water/food on one Side, heat on the other side. How long was your shipping time?

 

[Anon112]

For future chick purchases, it might be worth looking into more local breeders. I always feel a bit faint thinking about animals (any animals) being sent through the mail. There is just so much that can happen in transit.

I hope your two little ones continue to do well. What is your heat source? I'm a huge fan of a brooder plate because you can adjust the height, they can sleep fully under it, partially under it, on it, or totally away from it.

 

[Trenttrent]

For future chick purchases, it might be worth looking into more local breeders. I always feel a bit faint thinking about animals (any animals) being sent through the mail. There is just so much that can happen in transit.

I hope your two little ones continue to do well. What is your heat source? I'm a huge fan of a brooder plate because you can adjust the height, they can sleep fully under it, partially under it, on it, or totally away from it.

Heat is 2 - 100 watt screw-in heat elements. They are a couple inches above the chick’s heads. I’ll never order through the mail again.

 

[Anon112]

If you're willing/able to post photos of your setup, tell us what you're feeding them, etc, there might be more suggestions. It's hard to tell if they just had a rough trip to you, or if something is going on in their environment in the brooder.

Chick deaths are so hard on the heart. Just know that as you go you will become a better, more-informed chicken parent. I still cringe thinking about the mistakes I made in my first years of owning chickens. (And . . . the mistakes I made just a few months ago! The mistakes never end! But you will get better at caring for them and the mistakes will become fewer and more far between).

 

[BoundlessLove]

They have room in the brooder for them to get away from the heat.
Remaining 2, run around when we interact with them. They step up onto a 2x4 block, eat/drink/chirp. Have not Checked for pasty butt.

Mail order chicks stand a greater chance at getting pasty butt.
IMO, check each chick after pickup and daily for next 2-3 weeks.