McMurray Blue Andalusian chicks dying?!? Bad batch??

[sarahandbray]

OK, this is our second round of chicks from McMurray. Had an awesome experience in August with a shipment so I used them again. Yes, I realize its a hatchet hand therefore the birds aren't show/breeder quality.
I had 100 chicks shipped to upstate, NY. Of course, it was frigid last weekend and I went to pick them up in Albany on Monday's snowstorm!!!
Right out of the gate, 3 were dead in the box. All three Blue Andalusians.
We now are down to 87 chicks on day 4 of having them. The brooder is textbook perfect--believe me, I'm a reading fool when it comes to this stuff! Water w/electrolytes, heat lamps on one side to 95 degrees at brooder level, a cool side of the brooder, multiple chick feeders/waterers, checking for pasty butt 2X/day, clean bedding, no drafts, etc.

Even with all of this, we're down to 87 chicks!!! All Andalusians except one Easter Egger and one Delaware.

Did I get a faulty batch of Andalusians? They were all vaccinated for Marek's & Cocci and no chicks have been brooded in my basement before. No contamination or disease down there for sure.

I realize they're a Mediterranean breed and in hind-sight, I wish I hadn't let the McMurray operator talk me in to 20 of this breed. I wanted a white egg layer but have 5 Leghorns and was looking for something different. Ugh.
These chicks are TINY and weak! Even the remaining few are scrawny little things!
In terms of refunds, McMurray has been fabulous, but having chicks die on me after feeding and watering through droppers is heart-breaking!!!!

 

[TOOCLOSE]

In the past when I ordered from McMurray. I always had one or two babies die within hours of arriving. Some chicks are born with problems. It's nothing we do to cause it. Don't beat yourself up.

As for the tiny ones. I would move them into a cardboard box with a lightbulb over the top of them. They are probably getting trampled by the healthier chicks. They also can't battle the healthier chicks for the food and water.

Take a jar lid and put a mash of water and chickstarter in it. Use another jar lid for their water. Some babies are just too tiny to use the normal chick dishes.

Best of luck!

TC

 

[kyexotics]

OK, this is our second round of chicks from McMurray. Had an awesome experience in August with a shipment so I used them again. Yes, I realize its a hatchet hand therefore the birds aren't show/breeder quality.
I had 100 chicks shipped to upstate, NY. Of course, it was frigid last weekend and I went to pick them up in Albany on Monday's snowstorm!!!
Right out of the gate, 3 were dead in the box. All three Blue Andalusians.
We now are down to 87 chicks on day 4 of having them. The brooder is textbook perfect--believe me, I'm a reading fool when it comes to this stuff! Water w/electrolytes, heat lamps on one side to 95 degrees at brooder level, a cool side of the brooder, multiple chick feeders/waterers, checking for pasty butt 2X/day, clean bedding, no drafts, etc.

Even with all of this, we're down to 87 chicks!!! All Andalusians except one Easter Egger and one Delaware.

Did I get a faulty batch of Andalusians? They were all vaccinated for Marek's & Cocci and no chicks have been brooded in my basement before. No contamination or disease down there for sure.

I realize they're a Mediterranean breed and in hind-sight, I wish I hadn't let the McMurray operator talk me in to 20 of this breed. I wanted a white egg layer but have 5 Leghorns and was looking for something different. Ugh.
These chicks are TINY and weak! Even the remaining few are scrawny little things!
In terms of refunds, McMurray has been fabulous, but having chicks die on me after feeding and watering through droppers is heart-breaking!!!!

Any time chicks are shipped it's a crap shoot...You never know how well package is handled or if kept in proper climate...The beginning and end of the trips always look good, it's what happens inbetween...And you never know, maybe there was a 'weak' batch, after hatching 100s of babies, that's not terribly unusual, just terribly disappointing...We feel for you, we look at all as our kids, anything that happens to them hurts us...Good luck with the rest!

 

[sarahandbray]

Thanks!! I even changed the brooder and moved them up from the basement into our office (grrreat...)
I was worried there were maybe fumes from our boiler room they were being housed in that were the culprit?!
(Hubby just rolled his eyes and called me "Chicken Little!)
I don't know. Plenty of food for all, water for all, and the chicks all seem to be getting along just fine. Under heat and then off to explore and eat/drink.

 

[kyexotics]

Thanks!! I even changed the brooder and moved them up from the basement into our office (grrreat...)
I was worried there were maybe fumes from our boiler room they were being housed in that were the culprit?!
(Hubby just rolled his eyes and called me "Chicken Little!)
I don't know. Plenty of food for all, water for all, and the chicks all seem to be getting along just fine. Under heat and then off to explore and eat/drink.

We love having some in the house, we have 15-20 babies(they'll go out or sell soon) and a pair of golden sebrights that we may build an indoor coop for, they are too sweet and small enough!

 

[sarahandbray]

Ok, just an update: we held steady at 86/100 after those first few days. Would never order a light, Mediterranean breed for February delivery again. Would have only lost 5 babies had we not ordered the Andalusians.

 

[kyexotics]

Ok, just an update: we held steady at 86/100 after those first few days. Would never order a light, Mediterranean breed for February delivery again. Would have only lost 5 babies had we not ordered the Andalusians.

We live and learn and go thru some pain along the way...

 

[enola]

Some chicks just cannot overcome being chilled during shipping.

 

[PDPercherons]

Exactly why I cancelled my order for the first of March.. too darn cold to be shipping imho. It's a risk you take. Andalusians are actually cool birds. I'm raising them and I'm in central Michigan, all from MM. Like you, I have a few other breeds as well. I hope all the rest of the chicks you have do well and flourish.

 

[ThatFarmerChick]

Ours hatched a 3/6/2015. We lost one of our Blue roos the 1st night. Nursing all of the frail chicks was heart breaking. Losing them was even harder.