[u looking at me]

hello everyone

New to the site and straight away after summit and hoped that you knowledgeble people could help me..  I bought some chickens last week and chuffed to bits I was getting all excited that they were coming.  I scrupresly cleaned out my chicken house built a new outdoor area etc etc and then..all my urmph has been taken  Firstly the birds were sent by courier first time I have used them only to find one dead on arrival and tonight after letting out my apparently healthy chickens I find one dead.  No obvious signs of anything.  I am both gutted and confused.  I have these  birds little orpington bantams (red) on good quality food, water changed regularly.  I do have them separate to my others so hopefully I havent got any with any diseases.  I know it is a bit of a long shot but anyone had anything similar and may know what it could be

[jinty1911]

Sorry I am no expert but I would think probably the stress of the journey.   

[u looking at me]

I don't think it would be the stress of the journey with the one that died today as I have had them a week now and I would have thought it would have happened within a couple of days of having them and all the others doing fine, however the one that died on arrival was down to overcrowding  in my opinion and too long in transit... They have obviously not had much interaction with anything as they appeared in the beginning to be quite scared of everything. They have come along alot even in a week.  I have checked the dead chicken and nothing obvious at all.  I am going to take it to the vet and get a PM as I am concerned this may be something that may go through all of them

[ManicMum]

Probably worth going back to the breeder with a query as they might need to know if it's a health problem.

Is it someone you've bought from before?  Have you had chickens delivered by courrier before?

I would have thought that stress could take a week or so to affect health to that extent, but I'm no expert.

[u looking at me]

hi manicmum

No i haven't bought from the breeder before.  I bought some hens of the same breed of someone who had bought the eggs of this breeder.  I contacted the breeder straight away to say one of the hens had arrived dead and his response was unless I had opened them up in front of the courier and proved it was dead he really wasn't interested. I was unable to do this as the courier parked on a main road and I was worried about the others.  To be honest I was a bit disgusted that so many hens had been put into one box and obviously been in transit for so long as they were collected Monday am and I received them late Tuesday.  My first experience with a courier and I think my last.  I have contacted the breeder more to let him know but he is not interested.  I was not after a refund just need to know that my other hens which I have had years are ok and that perhaps he may have an issue with his stock

[hillfooter]

I'm horrified to hear these birds were in transit for well over 24hrs in a box.  Did they have water because if they didn't I'd be surprised they survived at all?  How old were they?  Are they showing any signs of illness such as sneezing, runny noses, eyes, depression, drooping wings, in activity etc?
HF

[ManicMum]

It sounds like a lesson that we can all learn: if you are having live birds shipped by courrier, you need confidence that it is a specialist firm that will care for them on the journey.  Or.... buy local if at all possible so you can see the stock, meet the seller and make your own preparations for moving the birds.

I hope the other birds recover from their long trip and settle in quickly.

[jinty1911]

Oh my goodness.  Poor little chickens   

[helens-hens]

This is a very sad story, I can imagine what you are feeling.

For what its worth, my 2 hens had a longish journey when coming to me and one did get stressed. They came in a proper pet carrier but when I first looked I thought there was only 1 hen in there - she was crouched right down in the corner behind the other.

After they were settled in she was still very quiet, had signs of respiratory problems and didn't lay for quite a while (though this could have been due to other reasons), would stand by alone by herself etc.

On the plus side she did eat & drink and after 4/5 weeks or so she started to lay and then seemed to come into her own, becoming confident & happy.

Will keep fingers crossed that the others will be OK for you now.

[Beano]

 

To be honest I was a bit disgusted that so many hens had been put into one box and obviously been in transit for so long as they were collected Monday am and I received them late Tuesday.

That's terrible. The courier needs to be checked by the RSPCA because that is cruel.
If the breeder is aware of the courier's treatment of the birds, he/she is no better.
Lets hope the others get over the horrendous journey.
Good luck.

[hillfooter]

If anyone else is receiving chickens via courier and they will be travel for more than 6 hours without water I'd put them on an electrolyte drink for 5 - 7 days when you receive them.  Be prepared.  You can make one very simply as follows:-

Give them this solely to drink for 5 - 7 days only.

Dissolve in 3 litres of water

5 ml of Salt substitute, (1 teaspoon of potassium chlorite)
7.5 ml (1 and a half teaspoons) of Bicarbarbonate of soda (baking soda)
15 ml (3 teaspoons) salt

If you are sending or transporting your own birds for more than 6 hours then it wouldn't be a bad idea to give them such a drink for a couple of days before they travel.  Make sure of course they do drink it which I've not found a problem.  Sometimes I've also found apple cider vinegar in the water will promote drinking short term however contrary to popular opinion I've found after a day or so they will prefer fresh water.  Well wouldn't you drink more if it had vinegar in it but actually prefer fresh water if there was a choice?!

Lack of water quickly causes loss of electrolytes and even a relative small sounding loss can be fatal for small birds.

HF

[stompy]

Does the breeder trade on the net/ did you order them from the net? (E**y)

[Jeanette]

When buying chickens it is always best to see the chickens and what the condition of them is and also how good is the setup where they are.

[u looking at me]

  I am sure there are lots of good couriers but I'm sure mine didn't travel with such.  To answer a couple of questions the birds had no feed or water and I found 4 eggs in the box with them which I think came from 2 hens over 2 days.  As said previously have never used a courier service before and to be honest won't again.  The reason I did was that the breeder was some 7 hours away.  I expected the birds to come in much smaller boxes with no more than 2 in.  Mine arrived in a box the size of a large TV which had a top and a bottom,4 birds in the top 3 in the bottom.
That aside the others appear to be settling in well and even giving me eggs on a relatively frequent basis.  I am reluctantly  letting some of my larger birds go as the boys need some "female company" and my husband is delighted that he is going to be driving 4 hours to deliver them as needless to say won't be sending them and new owners unable to collect...
I suppose you live and learn unfortunately.  I am enjoying the others though....

[Vecten]

It sounds like a lesson that we can all learn: if you are having live birds shipped by courrier, you need confidence that it is a specialist firm that will care for them on the journey.  Or.... buy local if at all possible so you can see the stock, meet the seller and make your own preparations for moving the birds.

I hope the other birds recover from their long trip and settle in quickly.

Unfortunately, here it was the chickens who learnt the lesson. No one should be having live animals delivered by courier when there are so many other alternatives.