Is It Me...Or Are There Alot of Dead Chicks Lately?

[Superior Chicks]

I read Byc everyday faithfully like the bible! (Truth be known....alot more than just once a day..

)

It seems to me this year more than ever before I have seen SO many posts on dead arrivals, and, or, dead and dying peeps. Are people ordering too early do you think? Are the viability of hatchery chicks going downhill?

I'd just like to get some opinions on the matter. We personally aren't getting our peeps until the 2nd week of May. Here, our nighttime temps never get above 55 degrees---even in the dead of summer. I'm not taking any chances! Mind you I'm not saying the cold is the problem, but do you think it is a contibutor?

Or what's up with so many deaths?

Thanks,

Ma

 

[gritsar]

Seems to me (and I could be wrong) but there were quite a few dead chicks about this same time last year.
I stand by my belief that springtime is the right time for chicks.

 

[mistylady]

It was 11 degrees this morning here. I don't think chicks would survivie in a mail truck or the post office in this cold. I'd wait till spring to get the babies.

 

[Zahboo]

I think it is a little early to be ordering. I got mine from a person, not ordered. But also part could be that there are so many new members, it's just more posts about getting their first chicks.

 

[silkiechicken]

It is the time of year. It happens every year. Nothing new, posts about DOA will be the heaviest from about Feb-April. Kind of how posts on "when will by birds lay?" start up in July and go though about October.

Often first time owners and people willing to risk shipping thousands of miles end up losing a box of chicks due to the weather. The box in the middle of the truck could be warm enough to make it across the country, but an identical box near a corner or door could be so chilled in transit the chicks are DOA.

Despite all these sad stories of a few hundred chicks that end up dead to various people, millions of others likely made it to their destination alive. Just often hear the bad more so than the good.

 

[chickabator]

well mine starved to death they were in transit for 5 days the temps were in the 50's for lows at night until the day they arrived.

 

[freddy22]

ClickHere has a point on the growing number of members but also the weather has been pretty cold this winter and they are called spring chicks for a reason

 

[WoodlandWoman]

It's like this every year in February. I would love to see something in the learning center and possibly a sticky here, about having chicks shipped and the increased risks to the chicks in really cold or really hot weather. You need to look at what the weather is like where the chicks are being shipped from, as well as where you are.

So many people have said that they had no idea, even after reading information on this site. Before the internet, people called their orders in and could get guidance on when the best time to ship would be. I know they helped me pick a safer date, when I called in my first order and asked for help with that.

If people choose to have chicks shipped in riskier weather, that's their choice. I really do feel bad for the people that had no idea, though. I'd like people to be able to make a little more informed choice.

 

[Fancie]

I got two shipment of birds this month. 20 ducklings and 35 chicks. All 21 ducklings arrived 100%... I did end up losing 5 to a power outage, but better then what it could of been.

The other chick had one that died in shipment and 10 that died with-in a few days after. I not blaming much of those deaths to the hatchiery as if I knew a little more on raising chicks they may have survived. But bought a few books, and in a month I will try again.. only with eggs..


Yeah! Eggs!

 

[speckledhen]

Its just too cold. That's the crux of the problem.