I received my Cochins from Ideal yesterday afternoon. There was one that didn't make it and the post office verified that it was dead, I suppose incase Ideal wants to argue.
Altogether I got 25 babies, I ordered 19 pullets and one cockerel. And yes, I know sexing them is not an exact science so I was hoping to get MOSTLY pullets but wanted to make sure that I got one cockerel, that is why I ordered them the way I did.
Ok, got them home, got them in a warm brooder, gave each of them a drop of Poly vi Sol without iron, put Sav-A-Chick in warm water for electrolytes and gave them medicated chick starter with water in it. I check on them frequently to make sure they are warm enough but........
There was one tiny one who wasn't looking so good right out of the shipping box. Then there was another small one that wasn't looking so good but it was eating and drinking, the first one was/is not. I gave both of these babies more Poly vi Sol this morning and when I went in to check on them just a bit ago, the 2nd one was dead, the first one who won't eat or drink is hanging on but she's not going to make it. Now, there is a yellow one who is not doing so well. At this time, as far as I can tell, the rest of them are doing ok
Two questions for those who have dealt with Ideal: How long after you received your chicks would Ideal replace dying babies? How soon after the chicks started dying did you initiate contact and how often did you contact them? Oh, and how did you contact them? Just by phone?
Another question about the babies, Why do they like to sit in the water? I keep picking the littlest ones out of the water but they keep getting back in, at least when it is warm. Their brooder has a thermometer in it and it reads above 90 degrees. Is it not warm enough for the littlest ones?
Altogether I got 25 babies, I ordered 19 pullets and one cockerel. And yes, I know sexing them is not an exact science so I was hoping to get MOSTLY pullets but wanted to make sure that I got one cockerel, that is why I ordered them the way I did.
Ok, got them home, got them in a warm brooder, gave each of them a drop of Poly vi Sol without iron, put Sav-A-Chick in warm water for electrolytes and gave them medicated chick starter with water in it. I check on them frequently to make sure they are warm enough but........
There was one tiny one who wasn't looking so good right out of the shipping box. Then there was another small one that wasn't looking so good but it was eating and drinking, the first one was/is not. I gave both of these babies more Poly vi Sol this morning and when I went in to check on them just a bit ago, the 2nd one was dead, the first one who won't eat or drink is hanging on but she's not going to make it. Now, there is a yellow one who is not doing so well. At this time, as far as I can tell, the rest of them are doing ok
Two questions for those who have dealt with Ideal: How long after you received your chicks would Ideal replace dying babies? How soon after the chicks started dying did you initiate contact and how often did you contact them? Oh, and how did you contact them? Just by phone?
Another question about the babies, Why do they like to sit in the water? I keep picking the littlest ones out of the water but they keep getting back in, at least when it is warm. Their brooder has a thermometer in it and it reads above 90 degrees. Is it not warm enough for the littlest ones?