My Chicks died, how could I have prevented it?

[ShawnaScott]

I lost my first chicks today

Two days ago Rural King finally got in some Silkie Chicks, and when I went to get them, I noticed they also had Japanese Mottled chicks. They were so cute I had to get a couple. I saw that about a quarter of the chicks had pasty butt. I specifically bought those as I didn't want them to die. I called the manager and complained that they were doing nothing, and in his words "All you have to do is put oats in the feed, which we do. There is no reason to clean their vents, it will come off on its own." Needless to say, I cleaned their vents, and I thought I got it all. I woke up this morning and both Japanese were dead. One had a HUGE clump of feces on his butt. I just cleaned them yesterday and checked back last night and they were fine. I'm worried it was an illness that could have been prevented but there was no blood in the stool. They don't seem to be too warm, nor too cold. Could a prolonged case of Pasty Butt been the culprit? The chicks were very small, but all of the Japanese in the store were the same size. I don't know if it was just an unlucky pick, or if the rest of them at RK are sick. I want to get two more Japanese to replace the two I lost, but I don't want to put the rest of my flock in jeopordy.

 

[sourland]

If you do buy more, put all good intentions aside and buy the healthiest.

 

[tcmstalcup]

I agree that pasty butt is often a sign of other illness and you just let your soft heart get you a ready-made disaster. Buy the healthiest chicks available and put a little ACV in their water.

 

[ShawnaScott]

Also thank you all for the helpful tips! I really did mean to go back and buy the healtiest ones, but rescueing just in my blood I guess.

 

[ashcons]

You could try writing a letter to the manager explaining the conditions you've seen at the store and the death of the chicks you purchased as reasons you will no longer be an RK customer. Losing revenue and receiving a written communication explaining why at a higher level on the food chain sometimes kicks changes into gear at the lower level of the food chain in retail stores.

 

[ButchGood]

https://www.facebook.com/RuralKing/...ffset=0&total_comments=5&notif_t=feed_comment

 

[foxmfan1]

I tried so hard to tell them, very politely, that maybe their chicks were too cold, and that they should probably wipe the poo off their butts, so that no more chicks would die, and the man informed me (again) that you don't have to wipe it off their butts. Which is contrary to everything I have read or heard. They are not very nice at RK, when I went in today I saw a bin of 3 to 4 week old chicks (had most of their feathers) and 4 in particular were getting pecked to death! One's vent is entirely raw and bloody and featherless, and the other's don't have any wing feathers left at all, and one's wing tip is very raw/bloody.

I bought them. I offered to buy all of the wounded ones (some weren't so bad, just a spot or two, but getting pecked by the others, and were going to be bad soon), but they didn't want to give me a discount, and I wasn't about to waste $30 on chicks that were most likely going to die anyway. I don't think I will ever shop at RK again.

Im not sure where you are, but I'd call the local animal care services office. There are laws that these companies must follow to be licensed to sell these animals, it probably falls under pet shop laws, I'd call and report them. If a company were selling obviously sick dogs or cats, they would be cited or shut down, livestock and birds are not different.

and as far as buying all the sick ones, while a good generous idea, If you buy those chicks, it will only give them money to buy more and sell more sick chicks, . Your better off, just not going back and giving them your money, also tell everyone you know why you stopped going there, so they will stop too. When this company starts losing money, that is when they will start caring about their business. just my two cents

 

[ButchGood]

If you do buy more, put all good intentions aside and buy the healthiest.

X2 Always pick the best stock for your flock.

 

[ShawnaScott]

Do you think it was the effects of the pasty butt? I honestly thought they were healthy, other than that. They were up running around and peeping a lot.

 

[ButchGood]

Its hard to say, The pasty butt could have been a sign of some other hidden problem. When you are choosing your stock always pick the healthiest of the bunch.