They're heeeeeeereeeee!

[Fly Be Free]

I only lost 3 today, and they were trampled to death. So, my bad. Right now they have a barrier between them and the chickzillas. The food and water are placed so they can all get to it. The heat lamp is hanging and slightly favoring the littles.

Oh Fly I am so sorry! Holy Cow! What a roller coaster ride you've had. Just watch them sharp as chicks tend to get pasty butt when they get cold, so make sure they can poop.

Yeah, wouldn't you know it.. I saw one a few days ago from the first batch, that had poop all over it's rear end. I was like "Dude, you totally need to stand up when you take a dump." Then I read a thread on "poopy butts". Thought I better read it. Good thing too. That's what it was. I had her in the sink in warm water peeling that thing off her hiney. She was VERY indignant over the process and quite unappreciative. Though when all was said and done I couldn't blame her as she sported a bald, very pink hiney.

In no time she was pecking and cleaning herself. LOL

I am watching a couple that seemed to be going a tad south. I took the grow gel, the quick chick, and the syrup mix and added it to the trough for them to drink over night. I do feel for the smaller ones that want to sleep. They are like speed bumps to the larger ones.

 

[AmyLM]

I had the same problem alot of people on this post have had :*( high losses of bantams due to 'chickzillas' smashing the little guys coupled with the cold temps. Ordered 33, recieved 44 this morning... as of 11:45 (same day) Ive already lost 12. I talked to MMH this morning and they told me to call back day after tomarrow and let them know. I wonder if they will end up doing a reship. I have lost almost every bantam in my whole order.

 

[Fly Be Free]

I had the same problem alot of people on this post have had :*( high losses of bantams due to 'chickzillas' smashing the little guys coupled with the cold temps. Ordered 33, recieved 44 this morning... as of 11:45 (same day) Ive already lost 12. I talked to MMH this morning and they told me to call back day after tomarrow and let them know. I wonder if they will end up doing a reship. I have lost almost every bantam in my whole order.

They are awesome at replacing chicks. Esp when it's all one breed. I'm sorry for the loss. I had one pass over night and one that is hell bent on drowning itself. I wish you the absolute best.

Can you separate your "chickzillas" from the smaller ones? I did and it's helped a lot.

 

[Cowgirlgrace]

Sorry, this may sound insensitive. I know this is heartbreaking for you but it just blows me away when people order chicks and it is 21* outside. And twice! You order in winter you gotta put your big girl panties on and suck it up when they come dead. Thats the gamble you take. I also can't believe these greedy hatcheries offer chicks this time of year. I'm sure their phone is ringing off the hook every year at this time. They KNOW the chicks will die but they do it anyway. Of course they are going to be nice! They don't want any animal rights kooks shutting them down. Twenty five newly hatched chicks and 21* weather for 2-3 days is NOT ENOUGH WARMTH even if they are overnighted. The living ones may perk up but there has been internal damage due to being so cold for so long so they slowly waste away. JMHO.

 

[AmyLM]

I can't speak for anyone else but, I DIDN'T know they would die! I'm a newbie and trusted their website when it said they were shipped with a warm pack and would be ok. I ordered a huge variety, no two are the same (other than the phoenix that I ordered later) and the only 2 dates that were available were Feb 12th, and Aug 20 something. Aug is totally out of the question because I live in Texas... so I figured a cooler date would be better than 120+ F.

 

[bj taylor]

my experience w/ mcmurray has been great. i saw before i ordered that they have been shipping chicks for almost 100 yrs so i figured they had alot of the kinks worked out. they texted me sun to say they had been shipped. i tracked the shipping & saw they went through saint paul post office before heading south. st paul forcast was really cold. i really worried.
i have been reading how the hatcheries studied the shipping methods and found that 25 (not bantams - i don't know what that number is for bantams) in a certain size and shape box was the most successful. less than that they succumb to the cold & more than that they suffocate.
my babies came early mon a.m. (no bantams) all were in great shape & a week later they're all still in great shape - no wasting away going on here. growing by leaps & bounds.
i think there is inherent risk, & if we're mail-ordering we know we're taking that risk.
if they waited until april/may to ship here (Texas) these babies would be facing heat they wouldn't have a chance of handling w/o air conditioning.
i won't hesitate to order from mcmurray again and take my chances.
best of luck, in fact i wish you better luck than you've had. "chickzillas", perfect description.

 

[Kannah43]

Many things can go wrong when you have animals. Period. the hatcheries have done their research but it is just so variable with how they are handled by the USPS. Many of us are beginners and are finding some things out to make future choices with maybe a little more experience/insight. we are sharing our stories. you might notice many stories are quite positive and turned out well for the folks.

edited by staff for clarity

 

[Fly Be Free]

Hee hee BJ.

They are all doing well now. YAY!! And for the record, tho I needn't defend or explain myself, the weather here has been down right WARM. It only recently turned cold and having made my order with week after week of WARM weather I didn't see there being a problem when after having to wait THREE weeks that the weather then would be any different.

I didn't order them with callous intentions or lack of common sense. And I don't think for one minute that Murray is willing to take money KNOWING that all the chicks will more than likely die.

Like you BJ summer is just out of the question. I also found out something else. The carrier put them in the BACK of a truck that had NO temp control. Seriously you have to be a special kind of stupid to put live critters in a cargo truck with NO heat when it's 18 degrees outside.

 

[Fly Be Free]

The vast majority out here are awesome and helpful.

And hey, I had someone post on my thread somewhere that they live in ALASKA and got chicks and they were all thriving! How about that?? I had a big loss but the most of them are hearty and thriving. The times I've had loss I noticed that it was one particular breed that seemed afflicted. Funny thing.. .I got a bunch of that same breed this time and they are the strongest ones.

Like you said, many variables. Happy chick raising!

edited by staff for clarity

 

[bj taylor]

fly be free i guess i didn't express myself well. i was not being critical. i wanted to interject that shipping, even in winter,in my opinion, isn't reckless or cruel and we all take the risks. i was expressing that for some of us the heat is a bigger issue than the cold. i certainly meant no offense to anyone.