shipping in two boxes? Confused

[shannybell]

I'm losing the buff orpingtons.  . .I don't know why. So far the casualties stand:

1 DOA in my box when I got it wed morning (buff orp)
1 EE that died about two hours later (wed morning)
1 buff orpington wed night
1 buff orp thursday afternoon
1 buff orp about 1:30 this morning (I was holding her and trying to help her with a
bit of sugar water, they have probiotic water in with them).

why the buffs? Is this coincidence? Everyone else seems perky, healthy and
fine. . I washed a few butts yesterday, but other than that. . .everyone seems
great. There was 2 buff orpingtons in my own order, 8 in that 'bonus box'. I gave
one away and have lost four of them. I'm beside myself with worry for them.
I keep checking on them all the time, and they freak me out when they are
sprawled out flat, sleeping. . .

I've been following your exciting thread here! I just wanted to add that from my Meyer order I received on Feb 26 consisting of 34 chicks, one of my two buff orps died several hours after they arrived and the other one was puny for the first week but it looks like she's going to be okay. I'm really sad about losing the one because I'm only left with one. .

Good luck with your new flock!

 

[cholmberg]

So far there haven't been any more losses. .. keeping my fingers crossed!!! I'm hoping they
are turning the corner and they will be ok now. Even if it is a HUGE flock, I don't like losing
any. The two polish chicks have had pasty butt. . . I keep having to clean them off. They have
probiotics in the big waterer, and plain water with a couple drops of ACV in the other. I don't know
what else I can do about it.

They are so cute, zipping all over the place!! The EE are getting lots of feathers and the the biggest.
they are eating like PIGS.

 

[Kelsie2290]

Glad everybody is doing OK today, hopefully they are over the shipping stress related problems. With the pasty butt, if you put a little olive oil or something similar on their vents it helps keep the poo from sticking. It does sound like there is something genetic going on with the Buffs.

 

[Eggcessive]

Glad everybody is doing OK today, hopefully they are over the shipping stress related problems. With the pasty butt, if you put a little olive oil or something similar on their vents it helps keep the poo from sticking. It does sound like there is something genetic going on with the Buffs.

Pasty butt is something that happens with a lot if shipped chicks. They will stop after about a week, every day probably fewer. I can remember how hard it was to examine 38 little rearends for 10 straight days when I first had shipped chicks. We had to put them in a box to keep track of the ones we checked each morning. Such chaos! Chicks raised with a broody hen, or ones hatched at home seem to not suffer too much with it. Good luck with them.

 

[poodlechicks]

Good morning Chlomberg. I am so glad you didn't lose any more chicks. Keep us posted and send more pictures. I like following your thread and the development of your babies. I wasn't going to get chicks this spring because I won't be building a new coop this year. Then, I started following your thread and couldn't help it but to think about adding to my flock. Now I am in the process of transforming an old Barbie outdoor doll house into a small coop so I can add some lavender Orpingtons

 

[CountryGal517]

Pasty butt is something that happens with a lot if shipped chicks. They will stop after about a week, every day probably fewer. I can remember how hard it was to examine 38 little rearends for 10 straight days when I first had shipped chicks. We had to put them in a box to keep track of the ones we checked each morning. Such chaos! Chicks raised with a broody hen, or ones hatched at home seem to not suffer too much with it. Good luck with them.

I've heard that apple cider vinegar helps a lot with pasty butt, I can't swear to it as I've not received my first shipment of babies yet but I will be using it myself

 

[cholmberg]

a golden laced wyandotte chick

one of the remaining buffs

 

[cholmberg]

I didn't get home from work til almost 6am, thanks to the time change. And I always count
little beaks as soon as I get here.. all are still accounted for! yay! I have to go get them a
third bag of food today. . .I gave them a scrambled egg yesterday. . .the first time I did it . .it was
not well received. ..but yesterday, they gobbled it up. How often should I do that? I have a
video from yesterday on my phone, but I'm not sure how I can upload it.

I worry about the little cochins. . .they are so small. They seem fiesty, but they are TINY and
they aren't bantams. . ..

 

[21hens-incharge]

I just read the entire thread. OH my what a shock to have so many. Kind of like expecting one baby and having three.
I too am sorry you lost any of them.
All I can say is WOW 79 when 15 was the starting number.

 

[subhanalah]

I just read the entire thread. OH my what a shock to have so many. Kind of like expecting one baby and having three.
I too am sorry you lost any of them.
All I can say is WOW 79 when 15 was the starting number.

I am thinking this is the new epitome of chicken math.