my chicks from Murray McMurray got here with bad news...

[jimnjay]

Did you put them on Vit and Electrolytes? It really helps with the stress of shipping and the added problems of being to cold.

 

[DouglasPeeps]

Hi! I am new to BYC today!!! I love this site.

I placed my first ever order of chicks from McMurray Hatchery. We have family who have ordered from them in past years and never had a problem. My chicks arrived 2 weeks ago this past Monday. Out of the 33 chicks I ordered 14 of them died.

2 of the 14 were dead when they arrived. I experienced the same things as some of you. They ones that died were smaller and after a very short time stopped eating/drinking and just couldn't hardly stand up. I tried everything to no avail. I did experience great customer service though. The following Monday, I received my replacement chicks. All of the new chicks were vigorous. I didn't lose one from the second set. When I called McMurray to report the total losses, they told me that their was a snow storm in IA the day that they shipped out and aparently they didn't recover. Every chick from my first set got pasty butts, but in the second set only 4 or 5 of them did. Everyone is happy and healthy now and GROWING like crazy!!!

Kelly

 

[chickenlover210]

I'm never ordering from them
boo hoo to them they should be ashamed

Grandpa should talk to them

Or alot of them

 

[perfectly_polish]

Same thing is happening to mine, they seem fine then they won't drink and then they have trouble standing, I have one mottled houdan that just flops over on his pack and can't get up, they are so helpless. I feel so bad. I then thought maybe there was something wrong with the shavings in there, so i immediently took them out and just put in newspaper. I got the bag of shavings from my local feed store and they were just in a big vacum tight bag so I don't know what kind they are. Do you think that is what is killing the chicks?

 

[Henrietta23]

Quote:
Yeah, I am going to cancle my next order with them and wait until it's a little warmer out, hopefully these ones will make it.

I placed my order to them with a woman from church who has been ordering chicks from them for many years. She is having ours shipped in April because of the temperatures. It's so hard to wait but I've deferred to her experience. Hope your next batch does much better. How hard for all of you this must be.

 

[smith2]

This may not help much, but several years ago my mom had this happen to her chicks. Her vet told her that she was using older food and that after 2-3 months the food looses some of its nutrients and one of the nutrients breaks down very quickly. I can't remember which one he said (thiamine or niacin?), but he told her to make sure she got the freshest food that she could. That year she ordered chicks really early and had purchased chick starter that was left at the feed store from the year before and the chicks got really weak and a bunch died and the ones that lived had feet problems. He also recommended putting a vitamin supplement into the water or food for the first 3-4 weeks if you are unsure about how long the food has been sitting on the shelf.

 

[jray]

I hope this post doesn't jinx my chicks, but my 21 from ideal are doing fine. I have two heat lamps going on my brooder and tonight due to the cold, I have two electric radiator type heaters going near the broosder. Everyone is still very spunky. They will be a week old tomorrow.

After reading all the stories about the weather and MMH, I decided to order from Ideal in Texas.

 

[Katy]

Before I started hatching my own I used to order from MM...in fact they're the only hatchery I've ever ordered from. I always had excellent luck with my chicks from them BUT I waited for shipment until late March or early April for shipment so the weather wouldn't be so cold and hard on them.

 

[MNKris]

The strange thing is that I picked up my order. My hatched chicks are fine and 7 out of the 11 breeds are fine.

I have issues with 10/12 Cuckoos The other 2 seem normal so far.
4/7 buff rocks. All are pretty mellow.
4/7 partridge cochins. 2 bigger ones seem normal, the 3rd is mellow.
3/8 of the EE. All more mellow than other chicks I have had.

The rest have been fine so far. They include
Australorps - extremely lively so far
Blue Andalusians - extremely lively so far
White Rocks - normal
EE Bantams - very lively
Red Stars - too lively. They are jumping on the waterers and creating havoc every chance they get.
RIRs - normal
Blue Cochins - very mellow, but I think that is how they normally are?

I am giving them something similar to quik chick. McMurray also suggested trying to give the ones that won't drink, some Honey, so I am trying that. It just sucks. I know I am going to lose a bunch of these. I have never had chicks drag on so long though. Usually it's a day and gone, not this 4 days and holding on crap.

I will say I have purchased from MM a lot and have always had good luck with them. This one I am disappointed in however

 

[yankeemtfarm]

Hi
I feel bad about your order from MM.

Over the years we have ordered over 250+ chicks from MM, 25 at a time.
We have never had more than 2 chicks dead upon arrival,and only 1 died after arrival.(missed that poop but).

But now that i think about it we only ordered during the warm months.

Maybe the hatcheries should do the zone thing like seeds and the growing season.

BA