Received sick faverolles, now what?

[feliciadawn]

I am continuing another thread in which I talked about being concerned for my pullets, owing to a projected long shipping time. The backstory is that I was having 7-week old pullets shipped from NM to PA. I had ordered them when they were 4 weeks, and thought I would get them then, before the cold weather began. Probably ill-conceived in retrospect, but I had looked everywhere for local faverolles, and there were none, and all the breeders were saying they wouldn't have them until at least late spring. I also had trouble finding hatching eggs.

The issue now is that the chicks arrived, and they are in bad shape. They are feathered out to the level of 3-4 week old chicks, but the hatchery asserts they are 7 weeks. They are emitting bloody poo, and, after less than 2 days in the mail, are ravenously hungry. I am certain they have coccidosis, and am treating them with Corid.

However, this leaves open lots of new issues. If these chicks are really 7 weeks old, then they are super sick. Will they ever be productive members of my flock, even if I can cure what ails them? Will it be safe even in a month to introduce them to my other chickens safely (I have 4 older chickens left, and I am very attached.)

 

[aart]

Are you giving them the corid?
Don't give anything else until that regime is complete.

If you direct dose them with anything be very careful.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/safely-administering-oral-medications-to-all-poultry-and-waterfowl.73335/

Here's the back story, chicks received starting on post #34:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/chicks-in-shipping-tell-me-not-to-panic.1428356/page-4

 

[feliciadawn]

One chick was dead this morning, and all the poo now is bloody. Getting a fecal float test today.

 

[feliciadawn]

So I have an update. The fecal float test showed very severe coccidiosis. The vet gave them a slim chance of survival, but did give me an antibiotic to attempt. I asked the seller for a full refund, and explained to her that all the chicks were very sick, and that they should have not been shipped in that condition. Her response was as follows: "

I am willing to refund you for the bird that passed if you supply me with pics. I won’t be extorted by your threats of bad reviews. You are welcome to go the the credit card company. They will deny you because you did indeed get live birds. It does me no good to ship sick birds as we have a live arrival guarantee and I would be out for price of the birds and the shipping cost.​

When I mentioned the fact that I spent money of the fecal float test and antibiotic, not to mentioned corid, her response was this:

The float test and antibiotics were your decision and your responsibility. We had already agreed that they had coccidiosis. I am giving you the refund [on the one dead chick] as a courtesy and have no obligation to.​

My advice: Don't even consider purchasing from Hand Me Down Farms in NM. Seriously they are terrible. (will do a full review on this forum when ready.)

Meanwhile my remaining 4 chicks are hanging in there. Their poo is less bloody this evening.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Did you agreed to buy chicks with coccidiosis or did you agree to buy chicks that you expected to be healthy? That seems rather odd to willingly buy sickly birds?

So sorry this is happening. It really sucks

 

[AntiqueB]

That is really a horror story. I wish the best to those poor chicks, and kudos to you for doing so much to try to save them.

 

[feliciadawn]

So I disputed this purchase with my credit card. When i explained to the CC company rep that I had pictures of the bloody diarrhea, the sickly chicks and indeed a picture of a dead chick, the poor customer service agent said this was the strangest complaint she ever recorded. Very nice lady but I think she is going to go home and tell her husband about her weird day.

 

[feliciadawn]

Did you agreed to buy chicks with coccidiosis or did you agree to buy chicks that you expected to be healthy? That seems rather odd to willingly buy sickly birds

So what she meant is that when they first arrived yesterday and had great quantities of bloody poo, I told her I feared coridosis and I was gong to give them Corid. She agreed that was a good idea. Somehow, in her mind that was me approving of receiving sick chicks.

Oh and she wrote this

Coccidiosis is not uncommon in chicks. Because they are almost 6 weeks and not day olds the coccidiosis can take hold in the 2-3 days they are not on corid in shipping.​

​

So apparently she kept them on Corid all the time -- and then they went off it for the 36 hours in transit and ended up sick. I don't think Corid is supposed to be used that way. No wonder why they are so stunted. Corid leaches vitamins.

 

[AntiqueB]

"It does me no good to ship sick birds as we have a live arrival guarantee and I would be out for price of the birds and the shipping cost."

If she is doing you a favor by refunding you for the chick that died, it apparently DOES do her good to ship sick chicks. As long as they survive long enough for the shipment to be accepted. . . I wonder what the hatchery looks like for the birds to be that sick.

The CC needs to look at it as damaged goods, sadly. If you bought a picture frame, and it arrived smashed up, it would be a clear case. The poor chicks are technically property, so the same rules should apply, one would think.

 

[aart]

So I disputed this purchase with my credit card.

Good for you.
Kudos on the way you are handling this.