Got my chicks from McMurray today...

[Nodaksnakelover]

I got my order in this morning from McMurray. A mix of silver polish, buff laced polish, white crested black polish, blue silkies, buff silkies, red stars, and a single buff cochin that was the free chick. Here are some pictures I took. When I first opened the box I immediately noticed a polish and a red star were near death. A buff silkie also is acting strangely. But after a few hours under the warm lamp and repeated dipping their beaks in water everyone seems to be doing just fine. I'm not at all impressed with the buff silkies. They don't look right at all! Tempting to pawn them off on craiglist! But the blues are so cute! I'm happy so far!

 

[kerrysmommy]

haha i feeel special cuz i am the first person to reply lol but theyyyy r soo cute

 

[Nodaksnakelover]

how quickly things change...from the time it took to go pick my daughter up from school, one of the buff silkies died. Being a snake keeper as well, I was able to utilize the baby that died. But that's one expensive meal. I'll wait for a few days to see if anything else passes. I did take note earlier that one of the buff silkies was doing this weird sideways head shake. Might very well have been the one that died. Was funny, I said not a word about the chicks when I got my daughter. She comes to me after we got home...daddy, what's that tweeping noise in the mouse room? I just smiled at her and her face lit up. Baby chicks! Can I play with them? So I'm sure we won't see much of her for days... She was the reason I got this order cause I knew she wanted silkies. But it isn't the silkies that are attracting her. It's the little cotton tops she's falling in love with.

 

[Nodaksnakelover]

another update, though I had no deaths overnight, two of the silver polish, one white crested black polish, and a blue silkie are acting weak and very tired... I don't usually see such chicks recover... Very sad to watch... But I did say I saw them struggling from the start. The shipping was just too hard on them to fully recover from. Not sure I'm liking how they sat around in a post office over the weekend with no care... But I am noticing it's just the polish and silkies I'm having troubles with so far. The red star that was NOT good when I first got the box in is still going strong. Like big chick breeds can handle that better than the little guys. The polish aren't any bigger than the blue silkies in this bunch. Yet odd, the buff silkies are smaller yet. I really hope that's as far as my losses are going to go with this batch. This is far from my first experience with chicks, but is going to be the first time I've personally had so many losses.

 

[chickensinwasillaAK]

Sorry to hear of your losses. I got my order from McMurray on Sunday, all 75 alive and healthy. I notice you're using pine chips also, have you noticed your birds eating it? Mine don't eat much but I have seen them gobble down some of the smaller pieces.

 

[silkeysandra]

I have read that pine chips are not good for baby chicks as they can eat it and hurt their insides. Somehow pine shavings are different??? was the recommended bedding on the farm site i visited. Hope they all get better.

 

[Nodaksnakelover]

it's what I've always used I guess, with no noticeable problems. But really, these guys came in looking pretty rough, so I'm not surprised I'm losing babies. But if its the shavings, I would think they'd all be having issues. When about half the group is doing great, bouncing around the brooder and already looking bigger after just ONE day! I only have one silver polish left and the buff polish that came in not doing well has now passed on. And I'm noticing the red star that came in looking dead, though she's revived is still weak, small, and not doing a whole lot. But yet in hand she opens her eyes and acts normal. We'll see.

 

[chickensinwasillaAK]

I should have re worded that, I'm using pine shavings, not chips.

Nodak, did you use anything like Grow Gel or Chick starter? How about a boiled egg or yogurt? Sugar in the water? Just suggesting things that can help get them over that rough trip.

 

[Wildflower_VA]

I have been reading and studying for more than two years to be prepared to start my flock of laying hens this spring (I was finding and buying a house in the country during this time). All this time I have been planning my order through McMurray, but in reading all the stories about ordered chicks and how rough the shipping is on them, I think I will just be happy with my six Australorps I got at TSC seven weeks ago, and will buy my RIRs and BRs locally.

I was raised on a farm and I know chickens are livestock, but I am soft-hearted and it would be hard for me to watch those sweet little fuzzballs weaken and die.

 

[Nodaksnakelover]

Quote:
yes, I used the Gro Gel they send. Gave out boiled egg today but the only ones who really ate it are the ones that are already strong and doing great. The weak ones have no interest in eating. Not even going to water for themselves which I'm doing by putting them to the water and dipping their beaks in. And they do drink. But it seems to no avail. I fear I'll be losing half the group from what I'm seeing. The six red stars are doing very well as is the buff cochin. The two buff polish that are left are really taking off and doing well. I have one which crested black that looks to be going downhill. When I called McMurray today, they told me to wait another day, and then call them. They want 48 hours after delivery to pass and then call them and let them know how many died. I haven't decided at this point if I'm just going to reorder or just raise a smaller flock this year... That isn't always such a bad thing...