New chicks

Date sort Score sort
lyndseybr

lyndseybr

In the Brooder
5 Years
Jan 12, 2015
21
0
24
First time hatcher here!
I have two chicks so far. One 36 hrs old and one 24. They are in the brooder now. Not very active. Sleeping almost all the time. At first they were very chirpy and vocal. Now only when I startle them. Not eating or drinking yet. Should they be more active? Temp is between 90-95
 
Hi :welcome

Glad you could join the flock! Newly hatched chicks do sleep a lot but not all the time. When they first hatch they can live of the yolk sac they have absorbed for up to three days. I would reccomend that you gently dip their beaks into the water so they know where it is. With the food you can spread a little around the brooder so when they start to peck and scratch they know where it is. Unless you have it in a feeder or a shallow dish you can tap your finger in the food so that it makes a noise and encourages them to come and investigate. Your finger is like mother hen pecking at the food and this is how she would show them what to eat.

Wishing you the very best of luck and hope you enjoy BYC :frow
 
The food is in a feeder, which they sleep against sometimes. I have dipped beaks in water about twice I think now. When they are standing I sprinkled some food in front and they kind of look at it but that's it. Then hunker down again. I put some starter in a lid and repeatedly put them back in and "pecked" St it fir them. One kinda pecked at it for while. The youngest one.
Here's what they look like 98% of the time:
400
 
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Welcome to BYC!
frow.gif
We're glad to have you.

Usually, chicks are rather sedate for the first day or so. They are often exhausted after hatching out of the egg. Mine don't usually begin eating and drinking until they are at least two days old, even though I have feed and water available as soon as they go in the brooder.
 
Thanks
After I put food in the little lid the youngest is perking up some and chirping and pecking a bit at food, poo, shavings, everything! Saw it swallow one little piece of food so I think it's coming around :)
 
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Welcome to BYC. Glad you decided to join our flock. The other members have given you some good advice, and I'm glad to hear that the little one is coming around. Please feel free to ask any questions you may have. We are here to help in any way we can. Good luck with your chicks.
 

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