Brooder chick behavior

[Justicedog]

I've done this before and each time I swear I'm not going to fret. I got chicks yesterday and the day before. One was a week old the others were day old chicks. At what point will they be up and wandering around all day. They seem to be sleeping most of the day - will get up to eat and drink and walk on their sister chick, but mostly they're sleeping. I keep raising and lowering the lamp. sometimes they'll be clumped like they're cold, but all my temp readings show it's 85-95 in different spots, so there's a hot area and warm area for them to go to. They are basically quiet, a little soft chirp, but none of the alarm chirping. They're fine right? Why do chicks make me neurotic?

 

[azygous]

As a rule, quiet chicks are normal contented chicks. However, it's always a good practice to give them a little sugar and Poultry Nutri-drench in their water for the first few days to head off any risk of shipping and travel stress in case the overly sleepy chicks are not just sleepy but in shipping shock.

Just as important as heat is a cold spot for the chicks to shed excess heat. They're like snakes and lizards at this early stage when they depend on environmental temps to regulate body heat by moving toward or away from heat.

By the time they are well feathered at around three weeks, they will no longer require heat during the day when they are consuming calories.

 

[Justicedog]

Thanks. Now this I thought was funny. Standing in a group with heads bowed “praying”.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I'm the same way. I know what I'm doing, but it still makes me worry. Very normal for them to spend the first day or two sleeping vs other activities. As long as they know where the food and water is, I just let them nap.