TSC chicks keep dying despite ideal conditions

[kmac720]

Last Friday we picked up 6 bantam chicks from TSC and went back Saturday to pick up a few more since ours were doing so well. The 5 we brought home on Saturday started dying within a few hours of being home and all 5 were deceased within 24 hours. My 6 from Friday were still ok but I’m very concerned to say the least. The original 6 had a little pasty butt that we were able to control quickly but the second group didn’t even have that issue. I woke up this morning to one of the pasty butt chicks having passed even though he was fine last night. We have been raising chicks for well over a decade and expect a few losses but this is mind boggling and emotionally difficult. We use the heating pad brooder, electrolytes and keep all new babies in our kitchen so we can closely monitor them the first week. I called TSC to let them know the situation because I was concerned something was wrong with the whole batch. The manager was also concerned as he had numerous reports from other stores as well as his own. According to him my chicks came from the same shipment on Friday and my 5 from Saturday were the last oh that batch. I noticed that our TSC had started using a new brooder system and hypotheses that that is a possible culprit considering my Friday chicks had just arrived when we picked them out. I had planned to allow my broody to take over the chicks after the first night but I’m scared to introduce the chicks to my flock even if they make it through. Any insight?

 

[kmac720]

Just wanted to update this thread...After talking with our local TSC manager yesterday and today (I’m spending way to much time at TSC, lol) he let me know that corporate is very aware of the issues and have placed some protocols in place with the affected stores to figure out the problem. I’m in the belief that it’s a combo of new brooder learning curve and shipping creating the issue. I feel like technology may be the culprit with the ”easier” brooder vs the stock tanks that are the norm for most of the chicken world when dealing with large hatchery batches. My babies are doing well, I’ve combined the two batches and everyone is living together fabulously! Posting in the ID thread soon so we can get a hint of what we’ve got!

 

[kerbotx]

From watching the threads here & elsewhere, one issue being repeated is that the new brooder cages weren't plugged in until the chicks arrived, and possibly they should have been plugged in the night before, to give them time to reach the proper temperature needed by the chicks. But is that really a thing? Can the chicks be too cold for a bit at the beginning, warm up & recover, only to die a little while later? Those brooder cages are also sold by TSC, perhaps someone who has bought one could clarify the heat issue?

 

[kmac720]

Just got back from TSC, our manager is great! We chatted about the incidents and he seemed genuinely concerned. They have had batches showing up with all dead chicks that were in transit way too long. He also said that they have done checks on the brooders and sanitized them as well which is something being done in all the area stores per district manager. I ended up bringing some home that were being held in back with the old style brooder set up. He said these were also part of a group that 3/4 of the batch died. I guess I’m glutton for punishment but they looked healthy enough. We are keeping them separate from the ones that are still here from this weekend just to be sure.

 

[pepe1]

I bought 18 chicks from a TSC store and had 9 die in the first two days, i have brooded chicks for over 30 years and have never had anything like this, could be a bad batch, shipping in the cold or the new brooders who knows.

 

[CapricornFarm]

The problem is :1) slow shipping 2) new brooders. The brooder heaters like that need to nearly touch the chicks to keep them warm enough. I saw some silkie chicks screaming all huddled in under the heater. If they get too cold, they won't eat or drink. One TSC had the sense to put them back in the original set up until they get longer brackets for the heat plates.

 

[aart]

Just got back from TSC, our manager is great! We chatted about the incidents and he seemed genuinely concerned. They have had batches showing up with all dead chicks that were in transit way too long.

Excellent to have a conscientious and communicative manager.
I'll bet the shipping issues are more of a problem than the new brooders.

 

[Crazychickenlady998]

Have also lost chicks that I got recently from tractor supply, I got them replaced and the new ones are doing fine but when I went back to buy something else I went and looked at the thermometer they had in the brooder it was reading low 80s and mid 70s in some and all the chicks were huddled and chirping and in obvious distress when I mentioned it to a worker they just shrugged it off. I'm fairly new to raising chicks but even i know that's way to cold for day old chicks

 

[wordgirl]

I was just at our local TSC (in rural area) and they just got their first shipment of chicks in at about noon from Hoover's. They were putting them into the new stacked brooder system while I was there, with the surplus in the old-style troughs with the heat lamps in their storage room. Some of the employees didn't seem very familiar with chicks but one employee definitely knew her stuff, knowing the chicks needed to be at 95 degrees, and was insistent that they not give the chicks feed until they'd been drinking. I also heard someone mention how their persistent cheeping was a sign that they weren't relaxed yet. The store was going to wait an hour for them to settle in and make sure they were doing okay before selling them. I was impressed. I chatted with the lady employee when I was checking out and she told me that the brooders were new and they weren't sure yet how the new brooders were going to work out. She told me they wanted to prioritize the chicks doing well. I was glad that our particular TSC seemed to be doing a decent job with their chicks. I already have chicks coming in April and it was still really hard for me to walk out empty-handed, though I told the lady I might be back. I've got fluffy fever.

 

[horsekeeper]

I had this problem last year with chicks that I picked up from a breeder locally, TSC chicks, and my own hatched chicks. They would look fine, eat and drink, act a little off and then be dead the next morning. I believe it was coccidiosis. When I treated them with corid the problem ended and the weak looking chicks perked right up.

A few things about this:

Chicks can have coccidiosis without showing bloody poop. There insides are being ravaged and they will die in a hurry.

Coccidiosis can be transmitted through the egg, so no matter how clean your brooder is, they can bring it with them.

Any stress can let the organism get the best of them and shipping must really give it a foothold.

Medicated feed is not strong enough to deal with the problem and Corid is necessary to help them overcome it.

Water for chicks should be warm so cold water does not shock their system. Particularly important for ducklings who drink more and are more at risk.

It helps to add vitamins and electrolytes to chick water for 2 or 3 days to help boost their nutrition and energy. TSC sells it in powdered form and it is easy to mix.

Hope this helps some of you. I have been hatching and brooding for years, so this is based on real experience and a lot of research.