What to do when chicks arrive from PO?

[SweetPeaMandy]

This is my first time ordering online, and I obviously have done something wrong, I just can't figure out what. I ordered 15 Dominique Bantams and received 20 yesterday. I brought them home, opened the box, and 7 were already dead. I immediately gave everyone sugar water to help perk them up, placed them in the incubator to warm up. Within an hour all but 5 had died. Everyone was sluggish, so I made sure everyone was drinking, knew were the food was and knew where the water was. Come bed time four had survived and perked up a little. I woke up this morning to only one survivor. I went to work, came home, it seemed very sluggish and didn't want to move on its own. I had put a small stuffed animal in the incubator with him/her to help comfort it, but I guess everything I did was too little too late as it too died less than an hour ago. So all 20 chicks have died within 34 hours of my care, which is heartbreaking for me, it feels like such a waste of life! The place I ordered from is replacing my order, thank goodness, but my question is, what do I do when the chicks arrive?? I thought I had everything under control the first time, but I guess not. Any insight on this will be extremely helpful. Thank you ahead of time.

 

[JustAChickenLittle&More]

Sweetpea, I would call the hatchery and let them know. I know I have experienced a few deaths from shipping, but not all of them. One time I ordered silkies, and almost all of them died too. I called the hatchery and they replaced them for me.

 

[SweetPeaMandy]

Oh they are replacing them, I just want to be more prepared for when they ship out the next batch. I would be seriously ranting if they were not going to be replacing them.

 

[Judy]

You put them in the incubator? What temp was it in there?

Here's a page from the Learning Center, at the top of the index page: https://www.backyardchickens.com/raising-chickens-basics.php

Maybe you had them in what we usually call a brooder on here and did everything right, and the shipping stress was the cause. Sure hope it goes better for you next time.

 

[SweetPeaMandy]

The temp was set at 95, it is a hovabator. The chicks were so small they were able to walk around (when they actually stood up) in there without bumping their heads. I think I am going to set up a better brooder before the next batch gets here. They have not scheduled a ship date yet. I hope the next batch goes better. I was planning on a few losses, but not all of them!

 

[bordergurl]

Get them to schedule the new shipment of chicks so they don't get held over the weekend. Do they offer next day delivery?

 

[SweetPeaMandy]

I am pretty sure they wont ship them unless it's early in the week. They shipped them February 28th and I received them March 2nd. They only had one option for shipping.

 

[CowgirlPenny]

95 is a little warm, from what I've been reading. You may have inadvertently kept them too warm, which can be fatal to them. I would go the brooder route this time for sure. Sorry about your losses!!!

 

[mordarlar]

Quote:
I am very new at raising chicks myself but i wanted to share something i've learned so far. I have a heat light in the corner of a 2ft by 4 ft box. Under the light runs around 100 degrees and the chicks are hardly ever in it. They mostly stay in the far and much cooler corner while awake and they lay nearer but still decidedly out of the heat of that light while sleeping. I think it is important to have a variety of temperatures for them and let them decide what is comfortable.

Best wishes with your new shipment.

 

[SweetPeaMandy]

Thank you for all the info and best wishes! I am going to set up a more formal brooder box before they get the next shipment gets here. I have only raised one batch of chicks before, but it was in the summer time, so my garage was plenty warm enough to keep them in. Plus they were "wild" chicks so they were used to being outside with their momma, and a little more sturdy than what I am trying to deal with now.