sick chicks help!

[sunEside]

Just got 26 female chicks yesterday. One was DOA but I with some stimulation it started breathing, for an hour. Soon I noticed another looked ill, the wet look and lethargic. We fed her with droppers last evening by morning she was gone and three more were sick. Two of them are gone now and I am still dropper feeding the last sick one. I have cleaned it's vent. It's belly is distended on one side and it still tries to stand. Mostly it just lays there. I bought it Sav-a-chick electrolytes to give to them all. I bought them all medicated chick food and I dipped each one of their beaks in the water so they know where the water is. What is wrong with them. This is my fourth group of chicks and largest. I have never had to go through this before. It has broken my heart watching them die. I don't want to blame anyone but I don't think I will mail order again.

 

[kidcody]

I'm so sorry, It's so hard when you see these little chicks die, you feel helpless! Sometimes we can only guess what or went wrong. It is very stressful when chicks are shipped in the mail. Sometimes the boxes are handled roughly (I've seen it) even when the box says "live animals" plus the heat can sometimes build up in the boxes. My sister just picked up some chickens for me at the post office and she said when she looked at them they were panting and very stressed out. Being that they are older they lived, but little chicks are very fragile. It sound like you are doing your best! I wish there was more I could say or do for you.

 

[sunEside]

Thankyou. One more got sick. But no more have died. They seem to be recovering. They were cold when I got them from the post office. They must have been near an A/C. The staff probably were trying to help them. Simple, large instructions need to be on the box. Maintain 90 to 95 degrees. No A/Cs near box.

 

[Gerry2011]

I am so sorry about your loss. Have you called where ever you ordered them from for replacements? If not, you should.

 

[chickmchickie]

In this heat didn't help i am sure and maybe a person at the post office thought they were doing right who knows.. but there are so many good things about mail order so maybe dont focus on that and you wont do it again but maybe on the chicks, with this heat i am sure that didn't help then with the cold of the post office i am sure they got a cold maybe? i am sorry for your lost, and i am glad to know that no more are sick and some seem to be getting better? call the hatchery and let them know too.. i wish you all the luck that no more get sick.. again i am very sorry this happened to you.. it makes me feel very sad

 

[sunEside]

Now we are down to 19 chicks. Seven have died. The last two became ill and died within an hour of showing symptoms. My teenage sons have been burying them for me. I can't take anymore.