HELP!! CHICKS DYING AFTER SHIPPING :(

[priszilla]

they lay so many ways-they are more fun to watch than any tv show.I am sorry they are not doing well.

 

[peaceful]

Hi. We were sent 100 chicks from a hatchery in May. Apparently that hatchery will only ship chicks in batches of 100 for increased safety (we shared them with several households). They were shipped in the morning and arrived in the afternoon, arriving in a box divided into four sections, each section containing abou 25 chicks. Some seemed older than a day old, probably a couple of days old. One chick did die before it reached us (smothered), but all the others were ok though stressed and we quickly went to get them settled. We have had no losses since then, ie. a total 99% survival rate (100% survival rate of the ones that reached us). And they have been happy and healthy. So your situation seems quite a contrast. To me that seems like way too long for the chicks to be in the mail: it is stressful and dangerous for them, they can only last so long and need reasonable conditions. If my chicks were as stressed as they were after around nine hours of travel, your thirty- six plus? hours of travel seems way too long. Then it is also possible they could have gotten overheated in travel at this time of year. Or 12 chicks is not many for keeping eachother warm, which is also important. I think they just may have had too bad a travel experience for too long.
Feeding them with a dropper may run the risk of getting water accidentally into the wind pipe which apparently can kill them, so do be careful with that. Handling can be a big stress for them too. I'm so sorry for your experience. I would think that to try to keep their environment now as calm and ideal as possible, a good temperature (around 95 degrees from a red heat lamp), and leave them alone enough that they have the chance to really calm down, always with the fresh water (apparently best with electrolytes, for stressed chicks) and fresh quality starter mash. Just thoughts. Also chicks get very stressed if they are just one so if you get down to one left see if you can find another chick somewhere somehow?
Afterthought: I wonder if Bach Flower Remedy "Rescue Remedy" would help the chicks (a drop in their water bowl). It can help traumatized or stressed animals and people.

 

[Eliz]

peaceful, Thank you for the information. I will be careful! I am happy to post that the last three are still alive

Two are very strong still eating and drinking. The other one, I never thought it would be alive when I woke up this morning. But he or she is a little fighter...... It was still breathing this morning so I gave it some egg yolk and water and left for work. Red heat lamp, temps at 95!

When my GH got home he said the little fighter was standing up and had its eye open (have not seen that since I got them)!!

 

[Princessferf]

I'm glad to read that there's been some improvement!

 

[DDRanch]

What an awful situation. Hope they make it. Please let us know.
Anne

 

[Eliz]

Hi guys, I feel so sick. This poor little guy is still hanging in there. I don't know what else to do for him.

Some times , if he is woke up, will stand up just a little and then lay back down. Can't walk to water or food.

I am still trying! I am giving him the vitamin and electrolytes in his water and some egg yolk. He is so weak. I just wish I knew what is worng so I could try to fix it.

Thanks for the support!

o the other two a doing great.

UPDATE*
That poor little thing died tonight.

Thank you all very much for your help!!!!!!!!!!!