Not have much luck with TSC chicks at the moment...

[ChickenGoesRuff]

You can also mix water and chick starter into a liquid chick food and eyedropper/syringe it down a chicks throat to get them fed. Just stroke from their neck to their crop.

 

[wornoutmomto3]

I was using the eye dropper method for some quick nutrients. The second turken continued to deteriorate, and passed in the late morning hours. I went back to TSC, but all their turkens had already been sold. I talked to the manager about what happened. They offered either a refund or I could pick some of the other chicks to replace the ones that were lost. At least they tried to make it right. I think next year I will try and stick with local chicks and hatching my own. This shipping stress thing is killer.

Update on pasty butt. Only two of the chicks showed anymore signs of pasty butt. Hopefully, that will be the end of that. Scrambled eggs and ACV with the mother seems to have helped clear up that issue. The scrambled egg was devoured like there was no tomorrow. There is still ACV in the water. How long should I keep ACV in the water, and will it negatively affect the vitamins if they are in the water at the same time? At the moment I am going back and forth between the mixes.

I would like to thank everyone for your help. All the advice will help me to raise happy healthy chickens.

 

[mle022]

I'm sorry about your loss.

I wanted to pop back in, as I too had a problem with the TSC chicks I bought. However, I went back in tonight to get more stuff to help the chick that was lethargic and not eating at all; I spoke to a manager while there. I don't know where you're located, but she told me that they had a really tough time with this last batch of chicks because they came from NM and they were having pretty bad weather when they shipped. I think the previous poster who mentioned chicks getting chilled might be on to something with that. They also guarantee their chicks for 48 hrs after purchase. This may be helpful, or it may not be, just figured I'd share what I learned.

I sincerely hope that the remaining chicks stay healthy for you, and you don't have anymore losses.

 

[wornoutmomto3]

One of the associates at TSC informed me that they do not guarantee the chicks once they leave the store. That is why I talked to the manager.

None of the other TSC chicks have died. All seem to be doing okay at the moment. I did just introduced them to a little fermented feed. Just found out about it this year and decided to give it a try. The chicks have been going to town. They just seem to love it.

 

[CliffB]

One of the associates at TSC informed me that they do not guarantee the chicks once they leave the store. That is why I talked to the manager.

None of the other TSC chicks have died. All seem to be doing okay at the moment. I did just introduced them to a little fermented feed. Just found out about it this year and decided to give it a try. The chicks have been going to town. They just seem to love it.

I cannot even begin to describe my jealousy that your store got in turkens. I've already warned everyone if a shipment of turkens comes in it is very likely they will never make it to the sales floor.

 

[wornoutmomto3]

I cannot even begin to describe my jealousy that your store got in turkens. I've already warned everyone if a shipment of turkens comes in it is very likely they will never make it to the sales floor.

That is too funny. But, be warned my neighbor managed to get a couple turkens from this same batch and they have fallen ill as well. I don't know if it is the breed or just the cooler shipping conditions, but these chicks seemed smaller and more fragile than some of the other chicken breeds they carried. This is our first experience with Turkens so we don't know that much about them. DH was pretty upset when we lost these two. He had picked them out personally and really wanted to see them grow into fully fledged adult chickens. This is big for him because he always rolls his eyes and sighs heavily when I start talking about chicken "stuff." Hopefully some more will come in and they will be a bit stronger.

 

[CliffB]

I got all of my turkens at a week or two old and picked them up locally so i've never had to deal with them being shipped.

 

[wornoutmomto3]

I got all of my turkens at a week or two old and picked them up locally so i've never had to deal with them being shipped.

There aren't any local turken breeders around here. There is a gentleman who breeds some of the more uncommon or rare breeds, but turkens are not something he wishes to get involved with. I am getting some eggs from him in the next week or so for hatching. I don't know if it is his breeder selection, but his birds are quite a bit larger than most I have seen of the same breed. Another local breeder sold me a sick bird that nearly cost me my entire flock. She didn't seem very concerned about it stating that "those things happen." I have elected not to buy birds or eggs or anything from her again. It is just not worth the risk. So, unless one of the local Tractor Supply store (there are two within an hours drive) or the feed store gets some more turkens I am out of luck this year. I have enough birds already that I don't want to try and make room for the 15-25 minimum just to get a couple breeds a still want to have that aren't local.

 

[CliffB]

There aren't any local turken breeders around here. There is a gentleman who breeds some of the more uncommon or rare breeds, but turkens are not something he wishes to get involved with. I am getting some eggs from him in the next week or so for hatching. I don't know if it is his breeder selection, but his birds are quite a bit larger than most I have seen of the same breed. Another local breeder sold me a sick bird that nearly cost me my entire flock. She didn't seem very concerned about it stating that "those things happen." I have elected not to buy birds or eggs or anything from her again. It is just not worth the risk. So, unless one of the local Tractor Supply store (there are two within an hours drive) or the feed store gets some more turkens I am out of luck this year. I have enough birds already that I don't want to try and make room for the 15-25 minimum just to get a couple breeds a still want to have that aren't local.

I am lucky there are quite a few showgirl and turken breeders around me. If you get the opportunity again you definitely want turkens in your flock.

 

[wornoutmomto3]

I am lucky there are quite a few showgirl and turken breeders around me. If you get the opportunity again you definitely want turkens in your flock.

I will definitely keep that in mind. Maybe next spring when I place my chick order I will include a couple turkens in the order. As it sits right now I only have room for a few more chicks(and I have my last hatch of the season is already planned), unless some show up locally I am done chick shopping. It is starting to get a bit crowded and I don't want my birds getting over crowded. There is only so much space and the chicks are just so darn cute. It would be bad animal husbandry on my part to overtax them in such a way. There is plenty of room to roam once they are outside foraging, but only a few small brooders inside that can comfortably hold 10 chicks max.