Mortality Rates from hatchery Shipments?

[Whispering_Raven]

Does anyone happen to know an average of losses from a hatchery shipment? I ordered 40 chicks and they arrived this morning. I expected loss, as I do when my current flock hatches, but I was just curious what the experience of others are. It is a reputable hatchery, vaccinated chicks, certified, etc....

So far I've lost three, and one more is likely. Everyone else seems to be happy and bouncing around eating, drinking and playing. The breeds I have in this brooder are GC Polish, (Lost one) WC Polish, Blk. Austrolorps, Buff Orps, W. Cochins and Mille Fleurs (lost one, maybe another one before evening's end.) And they gave me a free white chick, don't know the breed but she died as well.

So, all in all, 41 chicks, 3 dead, likely one more. So, I'm just curious what y'all have experienced as far as losses.

Thank you for taking the time to read my post, and I appreciate all input!

Blessings!

Tracy

 

[arcountrychick]

I received a shipment from Welp hatchery on Friday. I ordered 25 chicks, got 31, and haven't lost any yet. Two of them were really small, but seem to be doing okay. I've had pretty good luck with hatcheries--losing no more than 3 or 4 per 50 chick order.

 

[mi chicken]

i would guess that the rates very i got 20 in early march and expected to lose 20 % but lost none . so i guess i got lucky. the weather has alot to do with it and how they were handled during shiping and a littel luck.

 

[angel8035]

I think the bigger orders do better. I ordered only five and lost two right away.

 

[real_redhead]

I got my shipment of 17 (ordered 16 but they sent an extra) from Chickens for Backyards and all have survived! Shipment came last Thursday. They are so CUTE!! This was my first experience ordering chicks, I usually get them from TSC but wanted different breeds. So far so good!

 

[marzullol]

We got our first chicks on Friday, ordered 42, was shipped 31 and called to schedule the chicks for the completion of to arrive the end of June.

Of the 31 received on Friday, all are doing great. Two were small and not as active upon arrival but they are doing great.

Sorry for your losses, hope the rest thrive

 

[Whispering_Raven]

Excellent! Thank you so much for the responses and thanks for the sympathy. :-( The one that I thought might pass is still hanging on. She is VERY small. Hardly bigger than a half dollar coin.

-Tracy

 

[Whispering_Raven]

Just a quick update. I've lost a total of 5 chicks out of 41. 1 golden polish, 1 white chick (unknown breed) and 3 Mille Fleurs. :-( But everyone else is playing, jumping, trying to fly, eating, drinking, etc....Hopefully that will will be the last of my losses. If they all survive the week then I know we're good to go! I do think if I end up ordering more chicks in the future, (I'm set for quite a while now), I will separate the teenie weenie ones. I've never raised any of these breeds so it's going to be fun, but the Mille Fleurs are SO LITTLE in comparison even to the other baby Bantams and seem much more fragile, so if there is a next time, I think I will order them by themselves. Thanks again for the input everyone.

Many Blessings!

Tracy

 

[Mehera]

I ordered 25 chicks from Murray McMurray, got 28, with only one DOA... The rest were really healthy! We've lost some to predators since then but we had really good luck and customer service with Murray McMurray.

 

[Whispering_Raven]

Thank you! I lost a total of 5. The rest plus a few extra that were thrown in are now 2 weeks and 3 days old and are beautiful, bouncing babies! Super strong and soooo lovey dovey!!!! They spent their first night outside by themselves and I was a nervous wreck. They chirped and chirped and chirped when I was tucking them in. Many kept flying on me as if to say, "NO MAMA! DON'T LEAVE!" I came "this close" to grabbing my exercise mat and sleeping with them!!! LOL!! I had a fitful sleep, but they are all fine and all the mama hens are checking them out this morning. Of course the babies are in a contained brooder.

OH! BTW! I will add this note for anyone who may read this and I may post this on the "coop design forum". Right before I got my babies, I panicked about space. I have a 120 gal. galvanized tub that I planned to put them in. Ummmm....Yeah...That lasted until Thursday. Less than two weeks. I have never had so many babies at one time and have raised them in the house for their first 6 weeks or so. After two weeks, the new babies are now outside in a 4ftx15ft area made of 2x4s and 1" rabbit fencing. I will post pics later. The area is large enough for me to crawl into and sit with them and plenty of room for them to run around, eat, play and sleep. I put several logs in there so they can climb and get up off the ground at their leisure.

I've ALWAYS used grass clippings from my yard to raise my babies. I do not go out and buy wood chips, cedar chips, a most certainly NOT tick haven sand! or whatever else some folks recommend. They are chickens! They do not live in piles of wood shavings! Anyway....The brooder has no bottom so they are on the ground. I used window screen to attach to the outside of PART of it, to keep curious heads from poking out.Then I placed plywood over the top not only for shade, but to keep everyone else out. They are in a nice shady area with morning sun that gets a good breeze throughout the day when there is one.

So, that's my story for the day! Gotta run!

Tracy