16 days old, bouts of peeping like mad, sounds frantic

[limabean]

Is that normal? My 4 red sex-links and 2 barred rocks (actually, I think it's mainly the sex-links doing it) have periods of peeping loudly and what sounds like frantically. It's the same sound they made when my cat got too close to putting a paw through the wire on their pen (indoors, an old rabbit-hutch), or when I am picking them up (they settle down once they are in my hands, but the process of chasing and picking up leads to loud protests).

We're about to move the hutch out to our garage tonight (very secure garage, etc), I'm hoping they are not stressed about something mysterious and that moving them could make it worse.

 

[limabean]

**bumpity bump*** I know, Friday night....y'all out partying?

 

[bantamsrmyfav]

that's odd, I thought at first you meant they only do that when you try to pick them up but you say nothing seems to provoke the loud peeping? at 16 days they should be at about 85 degrees, maybe its too cold or hot?

 

[limabean]

Hmm, I considered the temperature question, but I don't think that's it. I have turned their heat lamp off for long periods, but that's because the house has been warm enough (they are in my dining room). They are not otherwise acting like they are cold - no major sleeping pile ups (usually a group will sleep against each other, then maybe a pair or singles nearby).

 

[Pinx]

I had a "broken" chick a couple of weeks ago. My husband works at a feed store and someone bought a sex link and had returned it the next day. It looked like it had a broken neck, and they owners of the feed store were just going to let it be and if it died it died.

With a little TLC 24 hours later you wouldn't have known anything was wrong. He had gotten so used to me that if he heard my voice he would start the loud peeping, almost frantic like you are describing. I often had to go in there and give him attention before he would stop. My husband would always joke and say "alright momma hen, go shut your baby up" lol Sometimes I think it was because the other chicks were picking on him. He had a harder time getting around then them but they were usually fine with him, but if he had a "moment" and his neck went crooked again and he couldn't stand up, he would have to go through about an hour of them picking on him whether he was back and walking around fine or not.

If the heat is alright, maybe you are their security blanket? Maybe the other chicks are bullies? I'm new so take that with a grain of salt lol.

 

[limabean]

I do wonder if they are looking for me....I've given them mealworms twice now, which seems to make me their BFF.

 

[csummer8882]

I have 6 chicks, about 5 weeks old now and we go thru the frantic cheeping. We have figured it out and if I talk to them softly, they quiet right down. Its like they expect it and I am not paying them as much attention as they want.

I usually say quiet down girls! and they usually do. Its cute!