I got a shipment yesterday am. of 20 chicks and all but 1 were doing doing great. While I took them one by one out of the box into the brooder, I found 1 in the corner limp. I picked her up and she was still alive. I gave her water and put her in the warmth of the brooder light. I left to take ds to school and came back to find that she was chirping, however her legs were not working. One foot she couldnt even open. She was fliping and floping around. She would throw her head back and land on her back and just lay there. I spent a lot of time picking her up and putting her right but her legs didnt work. She couldnt stand up, she sort of sat back on her hocks or Im not sure what there called for a ckicken but the main joint in her legs, she would just sit there and then snap her head back and flip over on her back. This am. I found her dead and she was sort of twisted looking. What do you think was wrong with her. Do you think the rest are in danger? P.S. This is not my first batch of chicks, it's just the 1st time I've had one die. Thanks in advance. Sorry I think I posted this in the wrong place
Do you think it could have been it was suffering from spraddled legs from the onset and was not able to handle shipment and get to food and water later on? I would still notify the shipper of what happened.
the chick probably got smothered during shipping I had one like that. Or the box got shifted to quickly and it was injured. good luck with the rest of your chicks. Jean
It has been awfully cold here in Texas for our normal. I would suspect that this little one maybe got too cold and was bounced around enough during shipment that it just didn't make it. It could have also had a "failure to thrive" meaning sometimes for reasons unknown a baby will just not develop right and will die soon after it is born (happens in all things.) Either way I suspect the rest of your shipment is fine and will be growing up like little weeds.
Quote:Well , thats why alot of hatcheries DO NOT ship chicks in the winter or dead of the heat of the summer . Springtime is always better for ordering from hatcheries , and also better to HATCH EGGS under hens in the early spring . Better outcome all the way around .
I think there is also a gentetic defect that causes spinning and flopping around? It might not have been caused by the environment. I am a newbie but this is what I read somewhere.
Thank you. The rest seem to be doing perfectly. Yes I did notify the hatchery yesterday, when I noticed she wasnt doing so hot. It was just odd. Well as far as the wether here, yes it is cold but my last shipment a year ago it was cold here also. I look forward to raising these chicks, thanks.
