NutriDrench vs SaveAChick for mail order chicks. Which do you prefer?

[treslilbirds]

I have 15 chicks being shipped to me today from Cackle and will be arriving in the next 2-3 days. I've raised chicks, but never dealt with them straight from the post office.

I've read some people mix sugar in their water or the SaveAChick electrolytes to give them after being shipped. I have a bottle of NutriDrench from my flock that I got at TSC this past spring. It says for shipping to give "on arrival". I'm assuming this means a drop straight in the mouth? The bottle says it has vitamins and nutrients in it but I can't find anything about electrolytes. Does anyone use PND for newly shipped chicks, or should I get a sac of SaveAChick lytes? I have to go to TSC to pick up chick starter so I'm open to purchasing either one. I just want to make sure my babies are as comfortable as possible when they get here. It's a long way from Missouri to California! Thank you!

 

[Isaac 0]

I would just put a drop of nutri Dench in each of there mouth.If there was a sick/weak chick it wouldn't being drinking water so Sav-a-chick would be useless.

 

[treslilbirds]

I would just put a drop of nutri Dench in each of there mouth.If there was a sick/weak chick it wouldn't being drinking water so Sav-a-chick would be useless.

Thank you. So if they appear healthy upon arrival and not under any extreme stress, I would be safe to just give them plain water? From reading other posts it seemed some people spike their water to give them a boost after shipping maybe? Perhaps I'm overthinking this!

 

[Crazy for Chickens!]

I order chicks from a hatchery as well, and I don't give them anything. Sometimes 1 or 2 die, but they are usually already slow when they arrive.

 

[abraga]

I use nutri drench for everything!! Hatchings, shipped chicks and sick birds. I think Nutri drench has more nutrients and would be better in my opinion for chicks that have been without food/water and stressed. Save a chick is basically probiotics, but I think they do make one with electrolytes. Personally..i swear by nutri drench!!! If u have any that cone in particularly stressed u can put a few drops in the right away.

 

[treslilbirds]

I use nutri drench for everything!! Hatchings, shipped chicks and sick birds. I think Nutri drench has more nutrients and would be better in my opinion for chicks that have been without food/water and stressed. Save a chick is basically probiotics, but I think they do make one with electrolytes. Personally..i swear by nutri drench!!! If u have any that cone in particularly stressed u can put a few drops in the right away.

Awesome! Thank you, that's just what I needed to hear.

 

[lazy gardener]

PND is essentially the only thing in my poultry first aid kit. Every chick that enters my flock gets it. Shipped chicks, no matter what their condition, and all chicks hatched from my own flock, even if they karate kick their way out of the shell, and then start climbing the incubator walls. I put them on PND for the first week, then 1 - 2 x/week for the next week or two. Sav-A-Chick is essentially electrolytes with vitamins added. Save your money. You can mix your own electrolyte if you feel that you need it. A bit of sugar in the water will also give them a kick start. Be prepared. Sometimes shipped chicks end up spending extra time in shipping. I had that experience, with my chicks missing every single flight on their trek across the country. Contact your post master, and be sure they know to call you so you can pick up your chicks as soon as they arrive. I had to chase down my chicks and go to the regional sorting facility, and charm my way into the building, or I would have had a box of dead chicks delivered to my PO the next day.

 

[abraga]

X2

 

[treslilbirds]

PND is essentially the only thing in my poultry first aid kit. Every chick that enters my flock gets it. Shipped chicks, no matter what their condition, and all chicks hatched from my own flock, even if they karate kick their way out of the shell, and then start climbing the incubator walls. I put them on PND for the first week, then 1 - 2 x/week for the next week or two. Sav-A-Chick is essentially electrolytes with vitamins added. Save your money. You can mix your own electrolyte if you feel that you need it. A bit of sugar in the water will also give them a kick start. Be prepared. Sometimes shipped chicks end up spending extra time in shipping. I had that experience, with my chicks missing every single flight on their trek across the country. Contact your post master, and be sure they know to call you so you can pick up your chicks as soon as they arrive. I had to chase down my chicks and go to the regional sorting facility, and charm my way into the building, or I would have had a box of dead chicks delivered to my PO the next day.

Thank you for your response. I was very pleased with PND when I used it to supplement my first batch of chicks water. I just put a dropper in their water every day until I turned them outside and they started using the auto waterer. I couldn't get over how healthy they were. I never had to use it for mailed chicks or first aid though, so I wasn't sure how it compared in that aspect to other products. After today though, I'll probably stick with the PND.

And yes I did call the local PO today to let them know my chicks were en route. They said they'll call me as soon as they arrive. They're being shipped from Cackle and based on other people's experiences I've read, it doesn't sound like the tracking info updates much beyond the label being printed.
So I'm basically sitting on pins and needles over here until I get that phone call.

 

[hollytruitt]

I know I am late to this thread. What is PND?