New baby chicks all dying

[KatieMcP]

Yes. I got them from Meyer. I too decided the minimum with the heat pack should be sufficient. I appreciate the help being offered, but the confusing thing to me is they are dying one or two at a time, and they are going from healthy, active chicks to dying in a few hours. I too am giving the droplets, getting them fed, etc. Nothing is helping. Make sure you call Meyer within the 48 hours to notify them.

I'm curious where you got the chicks. I received an order of 16 yesterday morning. One was dead on arrival and two never drank or ate or really opened their eyes and they died. But today, another one stopped eating and drinking and hasn't improved despite me giving it droppers of water/electrolytes all day. I'm not sure if I just didn't notice yesterday because I was more concerned about the other two, but I thought all the others were eating and drinking fine.
I got them from Meyer Hatchery, 4 RIR (1 is the one refusing to eat today), 4 EE (1 dead on arrival, other died yesterday), 4 gold laced wyndottes (1 died yesterday), 4 black austrolorps.
Since they allowed orders this early if you ordered 15, I assumed they had shipping them down to an art. I guess I've learned to wait till spring next time. But, I have these now and feel the need to save them if I can. At what point can I rest that it's been enough time to get over travel shock?

 

[KatieMcP]

Can they get away from the heat?

Yes. None are huddled right under it (too cold), and none are trying to stay away from it, either. They can get around it fine. :/

 

[Nupe]

Some pictures of your brooder setup might help us see what's happening.

 

[KatieMcP]

Your bulb isn't teflon coated, is it?

Nope. :/

 

[KatieMcP]

Trying to post pictures. We're down to 6 alive with one struggling. I'm at a loss. At least one seems to have very runny poops now, too. It wasn't so obvious with the others.

 

[Rhetts]

KatieMcP How are things going for you? Sorry to hear about your lost chicks!! Shipping is tough this time of year. hope things are looking brighter for the ones you have left.

 

[wahnsdlr]

I'm so sorry. It is so stressful wanting to help the babies, but being helpless. Did you get yours vaccinated? I had mine get the Merecks vaccine. My friend suggested I seperate out the sick one in case it's something contagious, so I did that, but if it is, I fear they have all Ben exposed already anyway. My sick one did have runny poops earlier today, but I haven't seen anything since then, but she's not eating so I guess that's expected. I will call after 48 hrs to report my losses, but if they keep dying, I hope they replace those too. Again, I learned my lesson about getting chicks too early, but I do wonder if it could be an illness. Why would they be fine after their trip in the mail and then go down?

 

[hockeymom74]

I got 15 from My pet chicken and they were shipped in 10 degree weather and came alive, hungry, and started to scratch right away, eat and drink, etc. Never seen baby chicks so healthy! Might try a different hatchery?

 

[nj2wv]

It is shipping stress. The deaths stop in just under a week. I have ordered from different hatcheries different times of the year. I still get losses. I think it depends on how they are handled during shipment. Placement on the truck etc. one year I could see that the box was in the rain.almost half the box died in 48 hours. My last shipment had mud splashes on it. Good thing none were dead in that box.

 

[tezolt]

I'm having the same issue. 16 RIR and 31 EE from Meyer Hatchery. My EEs are slowly dropping 1 by 1. All arrived fine, eating and drinking. Although the EEs seemed very weak compared to the RIRs. Two died in the first 24, they laid down and wouldn't move. Started coughing up mucus and convulsing. 1 of the 2 died immediately and the other tried drinking water with vitamins and electrolytes until she screamed and convulsed in my hand until she was limp at 4 in the morning. A third one started the same thing without mucus and convulsing, it just lays there. I've been feeding it starter mash with milk and applesauce added to it and forcing it to sip water (now with Tylan soluble powder and electrolytes and vitamins) out of a spoon. Came to check on it at 1am today (Friday), still alive, drank some water out of a spoon then fussed so I snuggled it back under the light. While I was doing that, I heard a scream in the other corner and one was convulsing and choking on mucus. I could literally ball right now. I'm so meticulous with how I keep things, especially animals, I can guarantee this isn't on my end. I'm debating on sending the dead ones away for analysis, I'm worried these birds will be carriers of something. I emailed Meyer earlier about not needing recompensation as they were aware of my situation and gave me their 2 day guarantee. However, this happens now unexpectedly so I emailed and asked if others were experiencing this. I'll probably get refunded for the few dead chicks before the first 2 days, however what about my breeding plans, what about all the time and effort of hand feeding, preparing separate meals, researching treatment and diseases, building the brooder mansion, and now watching these poor helpless things drop over and convulse and choke... I'm not just going to dump the poor things, maybe some would... I don't know how shipping stress would cause happy chicks to just start convulsing and choking on mucus...
Chicks were shipped Monday evening, got them Wednesday morning, all made it alive but the EEs triggered a "that is weird behavior sense", two EE dead early Thursday AM, 1 still deathly sick since arrival, and now 1 more goes from appearing perfectly happy and running around eating and drinking for 40 hours to convulsing and choking in a matter of two hours... At first I thought it was varying degrees of infections kick started by shipping stress. Now is it something neurological? The food is a brand new bag, no mold to human senses. Plus it's just my EEs dropping...

Never have I had to deal with chicks doing this... any help from or contacts for people in the state of PA that could assist me would be greatly appreciated.