- May 11, 2010
- 35,100
- 36,703
- 1,117
Oh, how sad. One week old chicks should be kept warmer, all handling kept to a minimum, and must stay dry. Another thing to consider is 'brooder pneumonia' but you would have noticed labored breathing. And remember some plastic, when warmed, will release toxins that may kill chicks. Years ago, I knew a herpetologists whose snakes died when he switched to new plastic cages. And not long ago I experienced problems with a hatch that I put in a plastic tote from Walmart. The chicks were warm, dry but oddly lethargic. I moved them to my old standby the rubber tote and they perked up within a few hours. So, I'll never a plastic tote again.