Help! Chicks arriving soon, but so is a cold front

[OasiVerde]

I need advise. I am having chicks arriving, hopefully, today. They were shipped on Monday afternoon, so they have been in a box for almost three days already.
Side note: USPS can't tell me where they are, tracking info is not updated and when I call they don;t know other than the info I can see online too - this is the first and last time I order chicks that need to be shipped
But anyway: we are getting a strong cold front coming in tonight, with gusty winds and rain. And beginning of next week the night temperatures will drop to near freezing. The chicks will be in a brooder on the soil in the big coop. I have a heating plate ready for them.
Would you put them in there or would you rather take them into the garage till the temperatures rise again?
They will probably be weak from the whole trip and maybe dehydrated
Please share your experiences and/or advise on what to do. TIA

 

[DobieLover]

I need advise. I am having chicks arriving, hopefully, today. They were shipped on Monday afternoon, so they have been in a box for almost three days already.
Side note: USPS can't tell me where they are, tracking info is not updated and when I call they don;t know other than the info I can see online too - this is the first and last time I order chicks that need to be shipped
But anyway: we are getting a strong cold front coming in tonight, with gusty winds and rain. And beginning of next week the night temperatures will drop to near freezing. The chicks will be in a brooder on the soil in the big coop. I have a heating plate ready for them.
Would you put them in there or would you rather take them into the garage till the temperatures rise again?
They will probably be weak from the whole trip and maybe dehydrated
Please share your experiences and/or advise on what to do. TIA

Do you have pictures of your brooder?
I would keep them in the garage up off the floor.
Be prepared with electrolytes in their water and some Poultry nutri-drench (PND) for when they arrive.
Get them warm immediately then get them all drinking the electrolyte water.
I'd mix up some scrambled eggs with a bit of sugar and several drops of PND in it to offer them for food.
Check on them every hour for the first day. Leave the lights on 24 hours a day for the first three days so they will eat as much as possible.

 

[OasiVerde]

Do you have pictures of your brooder?
I would keep them in the garage up off the floor.
Be prepared with electrolytes in their water and some Poultry nutri-drench (PND) for when they arrive.
Get them warm immediately then get them all drinking the electrolyte water.
I'd mix up some scrambled eggs with a bit of sugar and several drops of PND in it to offer them for food.
Check on them every hour for the first day. Leave the lights on 24 hours a day for the first three days so they will eat as much as possible.

Thank you so much for your reply. Yes, I have electrolytes ready. I ordered Nutri Drench on Amazon prime yesterday (once I found out they will be arriving later than expected) and it will be delivered tomorrow. Should I put probiotics in their water too?

This the brooder I will be using for them (picture taken after last batch of chicks was introduced to the flock). It is in the SE corner of the coop, so doesn;t get the cold northern wind on it. And it is the sunny side.

 

[DobieLover]

That is a nice little set up. I think it will do just fine instead of the garage.
I would put a tarp or something on that HC wall just for a little added heat retention and draft protection.
I don't see your heating plate in the brooder but it might also help if you pile the back and two sides with straw and leave the front open and a little higher than the back and tuck the plate into the corner.
You can sprinkle some probiotics in with the scrambled eggs.
You can also make a warm mash out of their starter feed to help warm them up.

 

[007Sean]

We're suppose to be getting near freezing temps south of IH 10, so the hill country will be freezing or below, so I would keep them in the garage for a few days, they will be weak and probably chilled when they arrive due to the postal services inability to deliver on time. Less chance for drafts in the garage and can probably check on them more frequently if in the garage. As already stated Nutri-Drench will be a must have for at least a week.

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

I think keeping them where you can make sure the temperature in their brooder is around 90, your garage sounds like your best option. Off the floor, avoid drafts and use your heat lamp. Good luck with your wee ones.

 

[Folly's place]

Have your brooder all set up and heated, everything running, so it's ready now. I'd consider a heat lamp, to warm them up fast, because this is way too long a trip!
Are you tracking the shipment? Can you pick them up somewhere sooner?
I'd also call the hatchery and discuss this difficulty soonest.
Mary

 

[OasiVerde]

Thank you everyone so much for your replies!! I am so happy with this forum.

The chicks arrived this morning (they updated the tracking info after I picked them up ) and they are all doing fine, except one is cold and weak.
I am currently renovating a vacation rental on my property and I decided to set up a temporary brooder for them in there. I need to do sanding and painting in the garage this weekend and don;t believe that will be comfortable/healthy for the little chicks.
I don;t heat it, but it is warmer than the garage. And no drafts.

I put electrolytes and probiotics in their water and each time I took one out of the shipping box, I put their beaks in the water, so at least I know for sure they all had some.
@DobieLover I will have the tarp ready if they will go to the outdoor brooder. Hopefully by the end of next week, when temperatures are warmer and they are stronger. And I will make them some scrambled eggs today, that is a great tip. Thank you!

I have to do some work this afternoon, but I will probably end up sitting on the floor enjoying the chicks .

 

[DobieLover]

You can get that little weak one up to speed with the rest with the scrambled eggs with PND added to it for the next several days. One of my chicks arrived with blood at the bridge of her beak from being pecked and she was clearly weaker and more lethargic because of it.
She caught right up with the extra attention and is now third in command in the flock.
Have fun with those little babies! They grow up WAY fast.

 

[Folly's place]

Wonderful!
Mary