Is this story going to have a sad ending?

[RedMoxie]

Welcome to BYC I'm keeping my fingers crossed that your chicks will arrive soon and alive. It's so worrying when they are travelling. I'd keep some of this handy, if you can get some, Sav-A-Chick® Probiotic Supplement | Sav-A-Caf. And the brooder ready with heat, water, food. Good luck and fingers crossed!

Thanks--I'll see if I can track some down asap.

 

[RedMoxie]

Mine came two days late once....and when I went to the post office to pick them up early in the morning it was something like -17, if I remember correctly. All but one made it just fine, although they were thirsty and hungry. If you don't already have any, I would recommend a quick trip to your local feed store for a bottle of Nutri-drench. When administered to newly arrived or stressed chicks, it's a quick boost that they desperately need. It goes directly into the blood stream, not needing to be digested, and I have found more than once it's made the difference between a chick rallying or being lost. Sugar water will also work in a pinch. When you give either, don't pry the little beak open and try to just squirt it down - it could be aspirated and you might lose a chick you otherwise could have saved, not to mention that it all won't go in, and believe me, Nutridrench is MESSY!

What I learned to do was put a little on a saucer or in a bottle cap, then dip a Q-tip into it until it's absorbed pretty well. Then you can open his beak or wait for him to make a peep, and place the Q-tip so he's kinda "chewing" on it. That way you can give just a little bit at a time, make sure that at least some of it goes into him, and avoid the brown yuck being too spread out on him and your counter top! I wish you all the best with your new chicks!

Thanks! This is so helpful and encouraging!

 

[bluebird]

Mine came two days late once....and when I went to the post office to pick them up early in the morning it was something like -17, if I remember correctly. All but one made it just fine, although they were thirsty and hungry. If you don't already have any, I would recommend a quick trip to your local feed store for a bottle of Nutri-drench. When administered to newly arrived or stressed chicks, it's a quick boost that they desperately need. It goes directly into the blood stream, not needing to be digested, and I have found more than once it's made the difference between a chick rallying or being lost. Sugar water will also work in a pinch. When you give either, don't pry the little beak open and try to just squirt it down - it could be aspirated and you might lose a chick you otherwise could have saved, not to mention that it all won't go in, and believe me, Nutridrench is MESSY!

What I learned to do was put a little on a saucer or in a bottle cap, then dip a Q-tip into it until it's absorbed pretty well. Then you can open his beak or wait for him to make a peep, and place the Q-tip so he's kinda "chewing" on it. That way you can give just a little bit at a time, make sure that at least some of it goes into him, and avoid the brown yuck being too spread out on him and your counter top! I wish you all the best with your new chicks!

x2

 

[bluebird]

 

[21hens-incharge]

rooting for the littles.

 

[Blooie]

Keep us posted! Might I offer one more suggestion? Since you have some genuine concerns about the condition of the chicks and your little people have helped with the preparations for them, I think I'd try to find a way to open the box without them standing right there. Sometimes having them jumping up and down with excitement, then seeing a few lost chicks in there can be very upsetting to them, and then you'll be upset, making it harder for you to just explain that baby chicks are very fragile and this can happen when they are tiny and get too cold. Easier to do when kids know before they see them that there's been an issue. We'd love to see photos of your little survivors - hoping you're going to be pleasantly surprised!

 

[rjohns39]

Something I do for new chicks is to mix a handful of sand and chick grit together with a little feed and a few meal worms and spread it on a piece of paper between the heat source and feed. After they clean off the paper I give them chick grit in a bowl free choice and I'll give them meal worms a few once or twice a day, just to give them something to chase.

I don't know if you can get it in time or not, but I also use Gro-Gel Plus on their feed for the first day. If you're able to get the nutri-drench then gro-gel probably won't have any real impact.

Hoping for the best for your little ones.

 

[Chickassan]

If you can't find nuti drench or gro gel one thing that I'm pretty sure you can find since you have kiddos is Pedialyte it will absolutely do in a pinch.

 

[pitbullmomma]

Something I do for new chicks is to mix a handful of sand and chick grit together with a little feed and a few meal worms and spread it on a piece of paper between the heat source and feed. After they clean off the paper I give them chick grit in a bowl free choice and I'll give them meal worms a few once or twice a day, just to give them something to chase.

I don't know if you can get it in time or not, but I also use Gro-Gel Plus on their feed for the first day. If you're able to get the nutri-drench then gro-gel probably won't have any real impact.

Hoping for the best for your little ones.

@rjohns39....what, no canned salmon? lol!

X1000 on the NutriDrench, that stuff is nothing short of miraculous. Truly.

One of my chick batches was a day or two late and I was freaking out, but they were all alive. X 2 on not opening in front of the kids though, just in case.

 

[rjohns39]

If you do lose chicks within the first 3 days, do take pics as the hatchery will generally either replace or give you a credit.

But let's focus on the positive and assume all arrive alive and well. Do plan and have ready a cover for your brooder. First time I did this I used one of those octagon brooders and all was going well, until one day during week 2 I walked in the garage and the brooder was empty. I had 25 poults exploring the garage. Yup they learn to fly early on.