Dying chicks

[Luv2fly]

I picked up my new chicks yesterday from the post office. All looked great. Came home from work today and one was dead and another one is very very lethargic.
I gave it a few drops of nutri drench. The brooder temp is between 90 and 95.

The one that died did have a very mild case of pasty butt yesterday that I was easily able to soak and clean up.

Is there anything I can do to help prevent this other one from dying?

 

[nuthatched]

Drop the heat to 85 in the hottest area. A wet mash out of the feed will help.

 

[Luv2fly]

Only one chick is still alive.
It is pretty dull. So might loose it also

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry for your losses. It sounds like they may have suffered from shipping stress or cold temperatures on the way. Did they come with a heat pack from a hatchery? How many days were they in transit? Were they day old chicks when shipped? If I have a weak chick I use electrolytes or Poultry NutriDrench and dip their beaks often to give them a boost.

 

[Luv2fly]

No heat pack. Shipping was 3 days and they were day old chicks.

When I got them out of the box they all looked really good. They all ate and drank. So I thought I had, had good luck this time.

 

[Eggcessive]

Chicks usually need a heat pack when there are only a few in shipping. When there are 25 chicks, none is usually needed. Can I ask what hatchery sent them without a heat pack? They can live for 3 days without food or water, but when they get cold, they may have shipping stress. Pasty butt is also common.

 

[Luv2fly]

Meyers hatchery.

 

[Eggcessive]

I have had chicks from them years ago, and they had a heat pack even with 15 chicks. I’m sorry for your loss. Mine were only in shipping for 1 day. I usually like to get chicks from the closet hatchery. It is always risky with such a small shipment.

 

[Luv2fly]

Well the last one died today... I can say one thing. I won't be buying shipped chicks again. Just to heart breaking to loose them all.