Chickies

[ttadlock]

I was wondering if I would be able to cover my brooder with a towel over night to get them to sleep. I have slept in the past 3 nights because they have been up chirping all night.

 

[drumstick diva]

They really need good air flow into the brooder, so a towel would interfere with that and it also might fall in and suffocate them. How old are these chicks? If they are carrying on they may be unhappy with the heat or cold of their brooder. Do you have a heat lamp for them? what is the temp at their floor level?

Are they eating, drinking, pooing, and active during the day? Have you checked to see that none have pasty butt? A red bulb in the heat lamp may help them settle down.

 

[Cynthia12]

I agree, do not put a towel over the brooder, it won't work anyway. Like the diva said, could be many reasons. If...they just hatched..they will chirp like crazy for the day or night. If too hot or too cold, they will chirp. Not sure where you have them, or how big or small your brooder is. You can tell if they are too hot, they will be outside of the light area..if too cold, they will stand, not settle down under it. Being too warm is as uncomfortable as being too cold.

 

[BantamFan4Life]

Welcome to BYC! I'm glad you joined us!

 

[ttadlock]

Thank you for answering so quickly. This is my first set of chicks I've ever had. The are all roaming around their brooder happily. Eating normally, drinking normally and pooing normally. They don't crowd under the heat lamp, and they don't disperse away from it. They don't have pasty butt either. They are 3 weeks old. I know that's young and they probably will chirp. Injust wanted to know if there was anyway to get them to sleep at night because they sleep during the day more than the night.

 

[ttadlock]

They really need good air flow into the brooder, so a towel would interfere with that and it also might fall in and suffocate them. How old are these chicks? If they are carrying on they may be unhappy with the heat or cold of their brooder. Do you have a heat lamp for them? what is the temp at their floor level? Are they eating, drinking, pooing, and active during the day? Have you checked to see that none have pasty butt? A red bulb in the heat lamp may help them settle down.

I agree, do not put a towel over the brooder, it won't work anyway. Like the diva said, could be many reasons. If...they just hatched..they will chirp like crazy for the day or night. If too hot or too cold, they will chirp. Not sure where you have them, or how big or small your brooder is. You can tell if they are too hot, they will be outside of the light area..if too cold, they will stand, not settle down under it. Being too warm is as uncomfortable as being too cold.

Thank you for answering so quickly. This is my first set of chicks I've ever had. The are all roaming around their brooder happily. Eating normally, drinking normally and pooing normally. They don't crowd under the heat lamp, and they don't disperse away from it. They don't have pasty butt either. They are 3 weeks old. I know that's young and they probably will chirp. Injust wanted to know if there was anyway to get them to sleep at night because they sleep during the day more than the night.

 

[Mountain Peeps]

Welcome to BYC! Please make yourself at home and we are here to help.

It really is impossible to make chicks sleep at night and not during the day. They are so tired that they will just drop over and fall asleep.

But soon they'll learn that when it's dark, it's time to sleep and they will probably quiet down. That's what my chicks did at least.

Be sure to check out these articles too.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/raising-chicks-artificially
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/raising-chicks-frequently-asked-questions-and-answers