2 week olds without heat for 3 hours...

[tomcio]

So we had a power outage yesterday. It started at 4.30AM according to my neighbor and the power didn't make it back on until 9PM at night...

It was until almost 7 that the poor 2 week old chicks were without heat (they live in our basement, the ambient temperature hovers around 12-14C down there). We found them huddled into a ball, moved them upstairs in Tupperware and stoked the fire as soon as we could.

They all survived the day, and seemed to be ok this morning... So here is my questions:

1. Should we give them sugar in their water to help them?
2. We use non-medicated feed as we want to live antibiotic free, is there any natural supplements we can use instead?
3. Any other suggestions?

Here are the chickies enjoying their warm, albeit small, accommodations... And our 'guardian' dog making sure they don't run away!

 

[Hobbley_Farm]

I'm sorry...I just have to say that your dog sticking his tongue out in that first picture speaks a THOUSAND words! All of which look like they would be "YUM!"

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

i agree with the thousand word post! CUTE! Anyway, I would maybe give them some vitamins/electrolytes in their water for two days. They should be just fine though without it. Seems they are hanging in there and all healthy looking

The fire looks NICE!

 

[KellyHM]

As long as they are warmed up and back to normal they shouldn't need any extra care. My power went out night before last and my 2-day-old Buttons got so cold they were flat out on their sides and looked dead, but I warmed them up and they're back to normal.

 

[tomcio]

Quote:
Thankfully, all he is trying to do is lick the poor chicken. He had a lovebird friend a while back that kept him company. She would bite his lip and his only response was to lick her. Man, if you wanted to see an upset bird, that was it! Then she would proceed to bite him again, to which he would repeat the licking.. you get the idea. They also used to nap together, she'd sleep on his head.

Now, the big 'mouth' in the photo respects the birds, but she won't play with them. Just make sure they aren't a nuisance to us. For a Siberian Husky she is very calm. I can even leave them alone with the birds in one room without a problem!

 

[Wildsky]

They will be fine, my mom hens bring their babies out at around 3 days old, and they don't seem to be tooo stressed without heat on them - I have seen babies lying in the sun to warm or mom will sit and they get under her - but they're all going to be just fine.

Your dogs look HUNGRY