mcmurry sick chicks please post here

[MNKris]

Quote:
There are two outcomes we have had. About 1 in five gets "walkable" again, but those continue to show symptoms like the bobble head thing. I have a few walkable EEs Standards that are smaller than the EE bantams that are the same age. Some of those bobble, some don't. The other outcome is some of ours are not strong enough to walk but are gaining weight and growing. We are on week three with these. They will probably need to be destroyed.

Sorry, but if you have what we do, the outcome isn't real good.

 

[amaliayosa]

I compiled a few stats, not real scientific but I guess worth postings.
These are the breeds that seem to be the most affected in order of greatest to least.
Each tally represents a poster who lost birds of that paticular breed, not the number of chicks, so from greatest to least.

BRAHMS
I I I I I I I
SALMON FAVORELLES
IIIIIII
BLUE LACED WYANDOTTES
IIIIII
EE
IIIII
Gl polish
IIIII
SPECKLED SUSSEX
IIII
CUCKOOS
IIII
BLACK GIANT
IIII
DELAWARES
III
SILVER LACED POLISH
III
Buff rocks-
III
HOUDAN
II
BLUE COCHINS
II

 

[brett]

I delivered my latest dead to the lab this morning and am anxiously awaiting to hear from them. Will keep posted asap.

Brett.

 

[TheFunnyFarm]

Quote:
Did they by chance say how long it would take? I have no nails left and it will be take out again tonight as long as I have to hand water every 15 min ..........have to go its time again.

 

[Alleyoops25]

I guess to rule out all areas that could be the problem. And maybe to find out a common thing that you all may be using that could be cuasing it, I think it would be good that you all post:

PIctures of the boxes your chicks were shipped in. It would also be good if someone could post pictures of the shipping boxes they got from a different hatchery. Since people seem to keep blaming weather on these problems, I think it would be good to compare the different boxes to hopfuly either do away with the shipping, and bad weather or to maybe figure out why other hatcheries arent having this problem while MM is.


List what type of brooder you are using. Where the chicks are being kept (in your house/garage/barn/coop)

What are you feeding them?

Did they get vaccinated?

what source of heat are you using (light)?

Are you putting anything in their water?

how many did you start out with and how much space did they have?

What are you using for bedding, (wood chips, paper)

I have a hard time with believing that these chicks were sick because of negligence on the buyers part. Chicks have been shipped in the time of year for a long time, and obviously there hasnt been this many problems before or they wouldnt still be offering to ship them this time of year. And I dont know about some of you but if I order chicks, which can add up to a huge chunk of a pay check, I would be doing everything I can to make sure that they live.
I also have a hard time believing that it is normal to have more than two or three chicks die in a order. Yes these are chickens, and we do know that there are losses in the husbandery of poultry. BUt you should NEVER think its normal when you loose that many chicks.
I do believe that there is something serious going on with chicks from this hatchery. I dont think it is anything like Avian flu, but either something to do with inbreeding,poor conditions of incubators and hatchery its self, or diseases. I dont think that MM would take the heat wilingly for the problem, and will or may already be doing what they can to cover or hide what may be causing this, in the invent of Dept. of agriculture coming and inspecting. I feel that everyone who has these chicks to take a lot of pictures and post them on here that way there is a paper trail. If everyone who has been dealing with this would come on here and post pictures, vidoes, and everything done on your part to rasie healthy chicks, would be a lot better than trying to go head to head with them your self. thet can easily ignore, and side step people individually, but if you all went together then you stand a better chance of getting everything fixed. The vidoe part would be good if someone can do that because it leaves a record that actually shows the chicks symtoms, pictures are worth a thousand words. I am going to keep a close on on this site, as this is a huge problem that is also very scary.

 

[patandchickens]

Tabulating breeds (and other factors) is a sensible step, BUT IT WILL ONLY WORK IF you also tabulate that same information for people who did NOT have problems with their chick orders.

For example, if 7 orders of Salmon Faverolles had problems, but only 2 orders of Houdans did, is that because the problems affects SF more often, or is it just that there are more people *ordering* SF? You need as COMPLETE DATA as you can get, on both affected AND UNAFFECTED chicks/orders, or it will be virtually useless.

Hope this helps,

Pat

 

[barefoot]

Thanks for sharing the type of feeds you're using. It looks like we still can't rule feed out 100%, but it still seems pretty likely that the problem is originating from McMurray, not from feed.

I also just called McMurray and asked if they knew what was causing the leg problem and how to cure it. The woman I spoke with was very nice and she said they "are aware of the problem and are trying to figure it out".

I asked if I could call back in a day or two and see if they had any answers. She said, "yes".

Also, we have been hand feeding our sickest bird. The others are somewhat crippled, but are still making it to food and water. However, the sickest one has been taking less and less interest in food and water over the past 24 hours. But this morning, we offered her boiled egg yolk and OH MY GOSH! She devoured it. It was hilarious because every time she accidentally dropped a piece she would look down at the floor like she was saying, "Hello? can somebody please get that back for me??!". We would pick up the piece she dropped and offer it back and she would greedily chow it down. LOL.

 

[greyhorsewoman]

I got an order of chicks from McMurray two weeks ago. First time I've ever ordered chicks shipped in.

We got 50 Black Star and 25 Cochin Bantams, mixed. Out of the Black Star, one arrived dead and two more died that same day ... stress or injury, who knows.

Out of the 25 Bantams, we have lost eight. They were all alive and appeared well, but one by one are getting this leg thingy... can't walk. The first five died one day after another, though they all looked great. Then we lost one every other day. We have lost a total of eight so far and one is definitely going now and two more look 'wrong' as of this morning.

They all shipped together. They are housed in separate cages, right beside each other. They are fed the same water, diet (Purina chick starter) and have the same bedding, lighting. The Black Stars are fine, not one more death or problem in the whole bunch.

I originally just thought maybe the cochins stressed more in the shipping, but it's obvious now that something is effecting them. It hasn't stopped. I am sending a email to McMurray today to let them know of my experience. Now I'm wondering if I will lose the whole cochin flock.

 

[TheFunnyFarm]

PLEASE EVERY ONE THAT HAS CHICKS WITH THIS WOBBLEY LEG DISORDER.PLEASE CALL MMH

has anyone told MMH of this forum if not I'll do so after my next watering........got to go its time again

 

[pepperluvsmee]

I have an order coming in through my local feed store next month. They were suppose to ship this month,but they decided it was still too cold. I am glad that they are waiting on shipment. I have ordered through this store for many years and have (knock on wood) never had any of my peeps parish. I also keep mine in our den in a "peeper keeper" that my wonderful hubby built. I hope everyone has the same luck as me!

-Theresa