My chicks are dying!!! Hoovers Hatchery

[RedHillChicken]

So far they are good. But as of this morning we have a lethargic little Black Ameraucana that is worrying me. Is you one BLGW still doing well?

Yes, she's top of the pecking order of the 14 we have. We call her Miss Dott. She even challenged our 2 year old Easter Egger hen that we call Rietta (Henrietta). That didn't last long.

 

[Ometra]

Yes, she's top of the pecking order of the 14 we have. We call her Miss Dott. She even challenged our 2 year old Easter Egger hen that we call Rietta (Henrietta). That didn't last long.

I’d love to have seen that!

 

[Ometra]

Yes, she's top of the pecking order of the 14 we have. We call her Miss Dott. She even challenged our 2 year old Easter Egger hen that we call Rietta (Henrietta). That didn't last long.

By the way, this morning one of our Ameraucanas was very lethargic and wobbly, and one of the chicks, not sure which one, pooped out red mucus. I asked about it on another post I made and it was suggested I do a round of Corid. This is day three of them being home. I’m hoping for the best.

 

[macmac955]

I have been raising chicks for over 13 years.

For the 1st time this year I purchased some chicks from tractor supply online which goes through Hoover's Hatchery. I have never used them before but they seem to have decent prices and thought I would give it a go.

Received the birds within 48 hours from shipment. A few were DOA, which I have never had happened before with other hatcheries. Placed them in their brooder with 2 heat lamps and a brooding plate. This is a large enclosure and they have more than enough room to move away from the heat. Put nutrients in the water and free access to crumbles. It has now been a little over 48 hours since the chicks have arrived and I have lost 13 out of the 30.

Before this arrival of chicks I can count on one hand in 13 years how many chicks I have lost. They seem to become lethargic, I give them some nutridrench and sugar water and they just decline until they die.

I am just incredibly sad and remarkably disappointed at the health of these chicks.

Anyone have any suggestions or does Hoovers Hatchery just suck.

I'm sorry that you've lost so many chicks. I ordered my buffies from tractor supply and they're doing fine.

 

[Becks Chicks]

It's been 48 hours since I've lost any chicks. I took the heat lamp out today and am using the brooder plates. Hopefully, they've all warmed up and recovered from the shipping stress.

I've been watching them on camera while at work and they are bouncing around and seem to be fine so far.

 

[RedHillChicken]

By the way, this morning one of our Ameraucanas was very lethargic and wobbly, and one of the chicks, not sure which one, pooped out red mucus. I asked about it on another post I made and it was suggested I do a round of Corid. This is day three of them being home. I’m hoping for the best.

We did the Corid too, just to be on the safe side. I've never done such extensive studies as the one's we did on the chick poop. From the information I got from the great folks here on BYC, chick poop can look like anything. Just be aware of a definable bloody poop. Don't give any vitamins or electrolytes when doing the Corid treatment.

 

[McChooky]

It's the coldest winter in a while, if chicks get chilled, they don't always bounce back and it's game over. A lot of people are having bad luck with orders over the last month.

I agree wholeheartedly.Newly hatched chicks exposed to cold temperatures are fragile and don't always bounce back.Considering some arrive dead its likely a shipping problem.

 

[McChooky]

It has been unusually cold so I think they may have gotten chilled in shipping. I’m not sure though. When they started looking lethargic with droopy wings, we did all we could and wrapped them in warm towels and gave them sugah r water. They all still died in the same manner.

I have a camera on the brooder and it looks like everyone is bouncing around this morning. I wasn’t sure what I’d find.
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ETA: I did add a heat lamp yesterday after we lost some. I was concerned the brooder plate wasn’t keeping them warm enough. I really don’t know if that’s it or not. The last batch of chicks went directly in the coop from day 1 with a brooder plate. I’ve kept these new ones in the house because it’s been so cold.

My most recent order of 15 chicks came from Murray McMurray .They were shipped 2 weeks ago ago on a Tuesday and arrived on Thursday. I had no losses from them or the chicks I bought in October from Rural King .They're laying now! I've never used heat plates or brooder pads.I use regular light bulbs and ceramic heaters for radiant heat in all my brooders and keep them in my bedroom a week or two.

 

[mcdze]

me to, just an incandescent, and keep them indoors so they dont get a cold draft for at least a week .. some chicks if they get cold theyre done no amount of nutricrap and other concoctions is gonna fix that ..

 

[Captain Andrews]

I also ordered my 10-ct Barred rocks through TSC via Hoovers. They shipped from St. Paul, NM to Southern California. First time chick owner and after the research, I was prepared to loose a few but so far all 10 have been active and healthy Currently they are 4 1/2 weeks. Granted our temps can be a little more even keeled compared to other regions of the country but I remember it was cold enough for a light jacket on the morning I went to pick them up from the post office. Other than some being bigger and some smaller (normal variety of a litter I assume) they all seem to be in good shape.