Hatchery

[chicksinthestix]

Updated!

This is a shipping issue. I had half my chickens die within 24 hours of arrival. The hatchery is going to look into it. They’ve been great to deal with and my surviving birds are doing well.

Is this pretty normal for hatchery chicks that are shipped?

 

[nuthatched]

No, it's not normal at all. They usually arrive in two days. What's your closest mail hub? Some are awful for getting chicks through.
You can ask them for a refund for the dead chicks.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Hello,

I ordered 15 Salmon Faverolles and they were shipped to me from Cackle. They were in route for about 3 days. By the time they arrived, about half of them were in very poor health. Within 24 hours 8 of the chicks had died. Is this pretty normal for hatchery chicks that are shipped?

It's the shipping not the hatchery's fault.

Shipping causes stress with chicks, & it can cause them to die. That's why we immediately give warm vitamin, & electrolyte water to them after they come out of the box.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I'm sorry you had this experience. When I order chicks, I can save them a day of travel by picking them up at the P.O. at a bigger city about 30 miles from here. I tell the hatchery to send the chicks GD (General Delivery) to that Post Office and make sure they put my phone number on the box. Then I jump in the car when they call me and make a mad dash to go get them.

I make sure the brooder is warm, ready and set up before I leave the house. Instead of plain water, I have warm sugar water waiting for them. This is 1/4 c sugar to a quart of water plus a large pinch of salt and one of baking soda, stirred or shaken till dissolved. By the time I get go the P.O., the car will be nice and warm.

As soon as we get home, I put them in the brooder, one at a time. I dip each beak in the sugar water. After they've all had a drink, I dip their wet beaks in the chick starter feed. I do this by picking up each chick bodily, like a dart, and poking their beaks in the water and feed. I do not try to control just their little heads. This is what works for me! In a matter of minutes they are running around like kids on a sugar buzz at a party, eating, drinking, cheeping happily.

I use a heat lamp anchored safely above them, but aimed only at one corner of the brooder so there is a cool zone. The food and water is in the cool zone. When they've had plenty to eat and drink, they settle down in a "cuddle puddle" and nap, murmuring sweet nothings to each other. (Or a "warm swarm," lol). If they're not screaming I know they're happy.

I seldom lose a chick managing them this way. Better luck to you going forward!