Newbie with Questions and Pics :)

[fermentinginpa]

I am brand new to the world of chickens but am pretty excited about my new little flock. I ordered 6 chicks (2 Buff Brahma, 2 Dominique's and 2 Barred Rock's) on Monday from Myers Hatchery. They shipped them express on Tuesday. It was only going from OH to PA so it should have just been one day with express mail but there was a 24 hour period in OH where the tracking wasn't updated and they seemed to just sit at the sorting facility. Much to my relief, they showed up this morning. There were 7 in the box and 2 were looking pretty bad but they were all alive.

I got them out, put them int he brooder with the light on, cleaned all their vents, showed them their water and food and have been checking on them for the last few hours. 4 seem to be strong and doing really well, the two that weren't looking good already died. One within an hour of getting them home, the other shortly after. Is that normal?

There is one other that seems a bit more lethargic and weak then the rest of them but she wasn't as bad as the other two so hoping that one pulls through.

After having two die so quickly, I am a little paranoid, there are two that were really healthy and active now laying down in the pine. Is it normal for them to completely crash out on the floor to sleep at this age? Probably a stupid question, I know they are babies but for some reason I was expecting them to sleep in a sitting position like adult chickens do. Just want to make sure I shouldn't be concerned about the rest of these chicks. I can't stay here any longer to watch them, need to head into work for a few hours but my wife will be home soon.

Here are some pics

 

[FriscoRaven]

I'm new at this too! I just picked up my chicks last night, and they did the same thing. At first they walked around a good bit and then just plopped over in the pine and went to sleep. I assumed they were just exhausted from the move! They were all up and peeping about this morning and seem to be doing great

 

[nova022]

The plopping over is completely normal though very alarming for first time owners. Chicks sleep every which way at first and fall asleep at the drop of a hat.

Sadly chicks do die in transit or soon after arrival. I have experienced both and it was tramatic, but the ones that arrived healthy and energetic thrived. The customer service rep said some chicks are just not as strong as others and the rigors of the trip takes it toll on the weaker ones. She also said usually they were packed very shortly after hatching so they could not tell which chicks would not make it.

I have never had a problem with having a chick replaced or refunded. I simply called within the specified time and reported the death.

Good luck with your new babies.

 

[mjsk442]

Hi - My husband and I are new to this too. We got 10 Sex Link Pullets last night and this is the first time we ever had chickens..

Got them home and they all seemed good. They all found the water and food. I'm sure they are bewildered - they just arrived from Ohio earlier in the day and then had another ride to their our home. So I was worried about shipping fever.

I noticed this am a few did as you said... Just plopped down and went to sleep. When I opened to the cage they got up and ran...And when they did that they all appeared healthy... I don't know chick behavior so I too am in the "dark" about what is normal or if one is not doing well and may need intervention.

Since they all seemed ok this morning, I am assuming this is normal.. ???

 

[fermentinginpa]

Thanks everyone, I was nervous leaving them to go to work but feel better about it now.

 

[1cityslicker]

Hi - My husband and I are new to this too. We got 10 Sex Link Pullets last night and this is the first time we ever had chickens..

Got them home and they all seemed good. They all found the water and food. I'm sure they are bewildered - they just arrived from Ohio earlier in the day and then had another ride to their our home. So I was worried about shipping fever.

I noticed this am a few did as you said... Just plopped down and went to sleep. When I opened to the cage they got up and ran...And when they did that they all appeared healthy... I don't know chick behavior so I too am in the "dark" about what is normal or if one is not doing well and may need intervention.

Since they all seemed ok this morning, I am assuming this is normal.. ???

Totally normal. We're lucky in the sense that we have farm and feed stores all over our county so we don't experience the stressed out chicks that some people deal with. We recently purchased two straight run chicks (Silkie and Buff Cochin) and they both when arrived home just plopped down with their head in the shavings. For the first week or so just monitor to ensure they are eating, drinking, pooping, and their vents are clean and the light is correct and you should have no worries. Also changing their water dish every day at least is a requirement. Those little buggers constantly kick up their poo and shavings into the dish.

 

[DawnB]

Yep, mine did that too...we refer to it as their "puppy button"

. If you've ever had a new pup, they'll run around like mad and be idiots for what seems like forever playing and then they just keel over exhausted asleep. It's like someone clicked a button...one minute awake, the next, sawing logs. I've had pups fall asleep in their food dish! My chicks did the same thing! Go, go, go...sleep.

 

[mjsk442]

Thank you! Glad to know this is all normal.. If you ask me about horses, I can tell you all, chickens, I know nothing.. But learning as I go....

 

[BlueChocobo]

One thing about chicks you need to check on from time to time is their butts.

If they have a crusty blockage this could kill them within a day. In this case you CAN NOT wipe them. Just dab their hinney with a generiously warn wet cloth and let it work itself out. Also supplement Chick Boost (or some other emergency additive) to the water.

 

[missnu01]

chicks sleep face down like they are dead...I would walk by the brooder box the first night and just sort of blow on them or poke them to make sure they were still alive...everyone falling asleep wih their heads hanging in the feeder and what not...