GRRRR Anyone else losing chicks left and right??!!!

[eventmerlin]

So McMurray chicks came yesterday (holiday). One little bantie chick was DOA and then 2 more banties died within an hour of being in the brooder. I had seperated them from the standard chicks (they weren't in the box!!!!). Then a standard Red Star chick died 2 hours after arrival and just now (12 + hours later) my splash silkie chick died!!!!! I have been making sure they don't have pasty butts, there is a bit of sugar in the water, and they ALL were runnning around this morning. I really do not want any more to die. That is 5 out of 31 chicks that are gone. Am I doing something wrong? The banties are seperated in thier own part of the brooder and they have their own food, water and heat lamp. I just do not know what to do?!

 

[Sunny Side Up]

Awww, I'm so sorry for these losses, of course you're upset & concerned! Be sure to contact MMH to get their imput. There are so many variables to consider, I suggest you start by examining every aspect of your chick set-up. It could be something in their food, water, brooder box, flooring, heat source, or environment, so check/clean/change everything you can to make conditions more ideal. Keep track of their activity & behavior, note anything of concern connected with their deaths. Are they dying suddenly/unexpectedly or do they act ill beforehand? Some chicks are just quitters, even under ideal conditions there's a small percentage that may die just because they're genetically deficient somehow. But this sounds like an unusually high percentage, there may be some external factor you'll have to discover.

I pray for wisdom & direction for you, & for no more losses!

 

[Illia]

I don't know what to say but you're not alone - I once ordered 48 chicks from Murray McMurray - Guess how many I have from that batch? 8. So I tried another batch from Murray McMurray - Still had a huge death toll.

Guess how I solved my problems in the end? I ordered quality birds from breeders.

 

[Miss Dottie]

Hi...Sorry about your chicks. I lost some too. I ordered 25 bantys from MMH and they came in a week ago Monday. 5 were dead on arrival. I lost another 5 in the next two days. Conditions were perfect, but they had a real rough start when they were shipped. They came from Iowa and I live in southern Calif. Thats a long way for them to go as cold as it was when they were shipped. The remaining birds are doing great. I was bummed about losing all those chicks, so I feel your pain. MMH was great when I called though. I'm planning on ordering some more when it warms up.

Good luck with the rest of your chicks.

 

[KinderKorner]

I've been loosing a lot of birds, that aren't from hatcheries. So I know how you feel. It's very fustrating. Especially when they seem perfectly fine, and have good conditions.

 

[baldie]

OMG!!! I got mine on Monday and I lost 8 so far...i have hatched 100"s of chicks and have never seen anything like it. They are okay one minute and dead the next!!!!

 

[silkiechicken]

It's that time of year. It's still cold, the demand for chicks is high, chicks get shipped, and especially for banties and "small" orders of under 25 or even 100 can often chill easily in transit and thus have latient deaths up to a week after they arrive. Don't worry, there is nothing you can really do about it and you're not alone.

 

[smithjo]

We picked up our order of chicks this morning, out of 31 chicks 9 are hanging on. 1 of these is very busy and healthy.

Does Murray McMurray replace these chicks with what was ordered? All were pullets, brown egg layers.
Have not ordered chicks in over 20 years. Great experience that time, not so good this time.

 

[baldie]

They credit your account....i know it stinks trying to figure out which are which when you have 44 chicks and a ton of different breeds..that is what i am doing now so I can call them.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
I agree. It's the time of year. I won't be getting chicks until May.