I got my Chicks in today!!!! Couple of questions...

Pinx

Songster
8 Years
May 18, 2011
286
1
101
Amarillo, Texas
I got my chicks in today from Ideal. 3 chicks and 1 duck were dead when I got to the post office which was at about 9 am (they were shipped wednesday). I live about 15 minutes from that particular post office and by the time I got home I had already lost another duck and had one chick well on his way... he wouldn't eat or drink, and died a few minutes later. SO out of 37 chickletts (I love calling them that) and 3 ducklings I lost 4 chicks and 2 ducks
sad.png
.
And wouldn't you know 3 of the chicks I couldn't tell what breed they were (all 3 the same breed though)... but I "think" I figured it out.

Is it normal to lose that many in a shipment? I figured maybe 1 or 2 would die, but I was hoping they would all be alive. I did not at all expect them to drop like flies.

The rest are running around the brooder seemingly fine, I'm still trying to get the temperature right for them... and I think I've just about got it, with probably 1 or 2 more tweakings.

They couldn't complete my order all in one shipment so I have a shipment coming next week, and they are adding the chicks I lost in with the ones I ordered. Will these chicks be okay with my new chicks next week? I'm assuming they will since they will only be a week apart, but just want to make sure.

Also, I've got little bullies on my hands. On 4 different occasions today, one chick (different one each time) will grap a body part of another chick (also different) and start dragging them around? What is the deal? They have food and water, and know where they are... they have been surrounding the food and water since they got it. Of course in shifts... some will sleep while others crowd the feeders and waterers... but in the "food" crowd they get aggressive? Should I add a third feeder? Does it have anything to do with the food at all? They have plenty of space. I know the heating situation is right yet but could that cause it? Or is it just normal "chick" things that I have never noticed before because I've never had this big of a batch?

Any advise is welcome!v
big_smile.png
 
Are you using a red light for your brooder? They have other red lights besides the 250 watt infrared since it is so hot now. Lowe's has an 85 watt red floodlight and there are 25 and 60 watt regular and flourescent bulbs for sale. They won't be as apt to pick on each other (or peck) with the red. I have used all of the above plus yellow bug light and plain bulbs, and they get a little crazy without the red. They also need plenty of of room. My 38 chicks had outgrown their 4X4 foot brooder by 4 weeks.
 
No I don't have a red light... I'll make my husband buy one tonight after he gets off work. Their brooder is 3x6 and I have a second one ready for when they outgrow this one as a group... I'll split them up, and the ducks will have thier own brooder as well, but I can't put my 1 duck in there until I get my other two. But I figured since they would all comfortably fit in one I would just use it until I need to move up. They are also all bantam chicks if that matters any, maybe they won't out grow it as fast hopefully lol.
 
I haven't ordered chicks through the mail but with the heat we are having here in Texas I am not surprised you lost some in the mail. I am glad that Ideal is sending you more.

Your chicks should be fine mixing them together. I have bought chicks 1, 2, & 3 weeks apart and put them together. They all did fine

I'm not sure what is going on with the chicks pulling the other chicks. You might check them for injuries. I have seen other chicks drag injured chicks around. If you find an injury you will need to isolate those chicks from the others or it will keep happening. I rescued a chick from our feed store that was being attacked by the chicks it came with. When I put it in a brooder with some other chicks I rescued none of the other chicks bothered the injured chick. I don't know why that is.
hu.gif


Also I think I would try another feeder and see if that makes a difference. When it comes to ducks, they grow very fast. Their bills will soon get too large for the feeders. I use hog pans from Tractor Supply for my ducks. It works great ....well.... until the chickens hop in it and start scratching it all out. I keep my ducks and chickens in the same run. They get along but I do have a problem with the ducks messing up the water as fast as I put it out. I use kiddie pools for my ducks. The grown chickens really like to wade in them too on hot days. Just be careful with young chicks, they can drown in them. I found silkie in my ducks pool. She was just sitting there sopping wet. She couldn't get out. She was fine but.... I had to keep them seperate until the bantams were big enough to get out. Now all is good.

I don't know if that helps you at all but you know...had to put my 2 cents worth in.....I'm in Texas too. It's 102 here...at least that's what is says on my car thermometer. I hope you have lots of shade. We're going to need it!
 
Quote:
It isn't unheard of to lose that many in a shipment. When the box leaves Ideal (or anyone of the other hatcheries for that matter) there's no tellin how it'll be handled in transit. So sometimes there are losses. Awesome that they are adding the losses into the next shipment. Usually hatcheries are really good about that kind of thing.

As far as them pickin on each other, The red lamp may help quite a bit. And it'll probably help out when you add in the ones coming next week too. Might want to try to introduce them at night when they really can't see what's going on very well. Just one idea. I am sure you'll get lots of suggestions for that.
smile.png


Good luck and enjoy your chickletts
wink.png
 
Not much shade here, where I'm at its mostly plains and rolling hills of dead grass. lol It's been Hot here as well, with NO rain... our first sprinkle in a long time was last night and it lasted about 2 minutes. We are having wild fires like crazy from the horrible wind and drought we are in.

I plan on seperating the ducks and chicks in a week or two, I figure it would be easier to keep my chicks clean and dry if the messy ducks kept their bathing to themselves in their own brooder lol.

They chicks that died were the smallest of the bunch so I thought maybe they just got smooshed... but I don't know for sure.

I did check them for injuries after they got picked on and didn't see anything.

Oh I do have one chick that his toes are curled in... Is there a way to fix this or will it fix itself?

I have to go to the store so I won't be able to reply for a little bit.. but keep em' coming please.
 
I lost another chick last night
sad.png
My husband went and check on them for me this morning and said one had died, so I went to look and it was laying right in the middle of the brooder... dead... and there was a second one! I said Oh my Gosh another one died... almost in tears I asked my husband why they were killing off so fast. JUST to make sure I touched them to see.... then nothin'.... he said I swear that one wasn't there just a minute ago. So I pushed it kinda hard, and the dang chick popped up like a rocket. lol The other one WAS really dead though, but the faker gave me a good scare.

I don't know what I'm doing wrong...
 
Sometimes chicks just die. Its genetics, you should see what they do to them in hatchery's.
(chicken sexing links) if the dieing persists then id be worried, but for now, your fine sorry about your chicks = [
hugs.gif
 
honestly it doesnt sound like ur doing anything wrong. sometimes it jus happens. i always had small groups of babies like 4-6 at a time nd occasionally lost one. i jus lost one today out of 11 i did everything i could when i saw it gettin weak. nothing could be done. even after all the babies ive had it still feels like my fault when ive lost one. my only suggestion is the vitamins you put in there water, alot of people say it helps. just ask some one at a store, explain the situation. also if u see them getting weak u can give them some (light)sugar water. for my baby i mixed 1/4 cup of sugar(next time im using less semmed to sugary to me) and a cup of water, boil, let cool, can store in fridge for a little. great for humming bird feeders too
smile.png
oh and someone on here told me plain yogurt helps when there weak also, just lettin ya no in case u can catch them before hand..... good luck
 
Thanks,

I had seen how they handled them in the hatcheries, and honestly was amazed at how the chicks didn't die right then, the one I saw they were just throwing them around like they were potatoes... but all of mine were straight runs except for the 3 ducks (2 female 1 male).

Thanks about the sugar. I've got one right now that isn't too lively. He just wants to stand there and sleep.
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom