New baby chicks all dying

[tezolt]

I forgot to add there was a lot green diarrhea in shipping box which changed to foamy white in some after eating and drinking... poops seem normal now after electrolytes/vitamins. I seen some possible intestinal shedding with blood too so I did a low preventative dose of Corid in their water... Started Corid after first two had died. I noticed the 2 poops with blood possibly out of a couple hundred runny diarrhea ones after the two chicks had died as well... they aren't dying of coccidiosis... matter of fact I wish it was that because I'm confident that I could fight that battle...

 

[tezolt]

Crop is full on my 3rd dead one... all have mareks vaccination as well...

 

[KatieMcP]

So awful! We now are down to 6 of our fifteen chicks. Two copper marans, two easter Eggers, and a Rhode Island red. All seem healthy and were eating this morning, so fingers crossed they will be okay. Although the others seemed fine at first, too. But like you said, are they carriers of something? Do we need to be concerned with eventually adding them to our current laying flock? I'm really upset. Yes mine were vaccinated for Marek's. And I would have thought "shipping stress" wouldn't affect one or two at a time! A couple of mine had what seemed like convulsions, too. What the heck is it?!

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.

 

[KatieMcP]

Yes, they were vaccinated.

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?

yes

 

[KatieMcP]

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.

Thanks. This morning the 6 that are left are looking okay. Now we're trying to figure out what to do with our dead chicks (do they need a necropsy done? Etc), and whether these ones are carriers of something or it was just a fluke. Although three of us with the same symptoms on this thread from the same shipment date....hmmm.

 

[wahnsdlr]

So my sick little RIR died overnight. She seemed so strong still last night, but when I got up at 2 to check on her, she was week and would barely take any water, so I knew she wouldn't make it.
This morning, I fed all the rest some wet starter feed and they all went crazy over it and all seemed to be eating. Of course now, when one seems just the tiny bit sleepy, I get concerned... I hope and pray that the rest are fine.
So, mine too were shipped on Monday and I got them Wednesday morning. But, mine were shipped to KY. If it truly is shipping stress, my bet is the outside temps were colder in PA, maybe why you lost more sooner?
If any of your do a necropsy, please update us on the results.

 

[nj2wv]

I am thinking that I may start buying straight run. I already stopped immunizing against mareks. I think maybe all the prodding and poking may also stress them. I did notice that the best survival rate was a box of CX that were straight run and not vaccinated.

 

[tezolt]

Well my sick one that held on for some time is now dead as well. 4 of my 31 Easter Eggers are gone, it's now over 10% of my EEs dead. None of my RIRs have died. I'm praying the storm is over...

 

[tezolt]

Katiemcp and wahnsdlr, please let me know what they say. They're taking a while to get back to me. They must be experiencing high email volumes. They do get back to me and have been really nice to this point so far. I feel they are good people with good intentions, I am just hoping this was just a fluke thing... Although Katiemcp you had over a 50% loss, I am sorry you had to undergo that type of torture.

 

[equinealot]

I have been keeping my new peeps in a 3 x 3 box with temp at 100 under the lite. Also feeding fermented feed to them. It is so easy to make & makes the world of difference. I was told by my local hatchery they need temp close to 100 when newly hatched. But have to have room for them to get away if they choose.