How many survive?

[Sweetest]

We got our shipment of chicks this morning...27 total. We had one dead when we opened the box. A black meat bird seizing...nursed it back to " health" but it just stands in one place. One of our layers died about 20 minutes ago. Now I have two chicks on my chest that I'm trying to nurse to health again. I have a feeling one is going to die soon. And a crested polish that seems to be touch and go.
How many chicks in a shipment usually die?

 

[Sweetest]

Aaand there goes the third one. Fourth one still iffy.

 

[cbascom]

I'm afraid I'm not much help,as I am new to baby chicks. I got my first shipment this year, and they are now 6 weeks old. Mine came in early Feb, and I lost 4 out of 28 in the first 48 hours. I did not have any losses after that (knock on wood). Mine are all large fowl, some layers and some meat. Good luck with your little ones.

 

[MacCana]

It's most likely due to stress from being shipped. There isn't too much you can do other than trying to help them settle in & calmed down. I don't know the average # of casualties or anything, but I can tell you it's a common occurrence sadly. Poor babies. How many days did it take them to get from the hatchery to you? The longer the shipping time the higher the chance of casualties... :'(

 

[Sweetest]

Last year we got our chicks from TSC, so the sickly ones were gone. This is our first year ordering like this. I hope the white crested black polish is good for the night. She at least stopped seizing and the agonal breathing went away. I'd be ok if I opened the box and a few were dead. But to cheer them on and have them die anyway...so sad. One of the birds that we got that I think is a black Australorp was seizing and was bad earlier, but now seems fine, if a little unsteady on his feet. We lost a little yellow chick, and then one that I couldn't tell if it was an RIR or what...looked like our RIR chicks last year. If the polish pulls through, I think we are in the clear. I just don't understand the falling down, then the seizures, then the breathing... It's part of life but it's sad.

 

[Sweetest]

The box says hatched on 3/14, shipped on 3/15, arrived this morning around 6:30 at the post office. I wish we had a hatchery near my house... Or within 5 hours... Maybe even 6 hours away would be ok. I'd drive to get them instead of risking them in a cold postal truck .

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

I've sometimes lost one or two when I've had chicks shipped, but I've had shipments where every chick has survived. I think their chances of arriving in good shape greatly depends not only on the weather during shipping, but on how they are handled during the shipping process. When I've lost chicks, their shipping box was a little banged up, which makes me automatically think they were handled roughly. Stress isn't good for birds.

Anyway, how did their shipping box look? Are you giving electrolytes, sugar/honey water? Have they eaten or drank? Pooped? Did you check the weather from the hatchery to your house, as in every place that box had to travel before it got to you? I'm not sure where you're from, but here in TN we've been having some really wonky weather.

Sometimes you can pull them out by making them a wet slurry with their chick starter and feeding it to them with a syringe. Good luck, I hope your chicks get better and sorry about the ones you lost

 

[Sweetest]

They have a dish of plain water and a dish of electrolyte water, and chick crumble. All of them were eating and drinking when I first put them in the tub. Most went for the electrolyte water and then switched. At soon as three or four drank , they all lined up to try.
The box was fine, not banged up or anything. The GroGel was gone though. Just tiny green crumbs.
The Australorp (I'm assuming/guessing) was nursed back with electrolyte water and wet chick mash. The others , we tried the same, it just didn't work.
I didn't check the weather but it's been cold at night here in NY. Yesterday was about. 30 degrees but sunny and no wind , so I wore a sweater w short sleeves and was ok . I'm sure it's shipping stress, which sucks. I was just not familiar with the seizing... Broke my heart to see the little fuzzies like that.
Next shipment we're getting , we're waiting til warmer weather too. Maybe that will reduce stress (I mean springtime warm , not summer heat)

 

[Saerasx]

That is so scary! I hope your others are ok...Im getting my little ones from a local store that gets the chicks locally so they are driven- no flights involved. Im really hoping this ends up being a big perk for us.

 

[3riverschick]

Hi,
This sounds like travel stress to me too. You need to get some Poultry Nutri-Drench into the chicks
. It does not need digesting like the electrolytes do. Mainlines right into the bloodstream. I get mine at
Tractor Supply. Or Agway. Try your local feed store. Here. read the first post in this thread.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/746509/how-to-deal-with-travel-stress-in-baby-chicks
It explains it all. We see chick death from travel stress this time of year. Now, these Bovidr Labs
emergency nutritional supplements are species specific. But they also meet the scientific guidelines
for a universal donor solution. So if you cannot find the Poultry Nutri-Drench, you can also use Pet Nutri-Drops
or Goat Nutri-Drench as a stopgap until you can. Use the same dosage as if you had the Poultry Nutri-Drench.
Best Success,
Karen in western PA, USA