Baby chicks did not like new brooder!

[agadams]

I have 6 chicks ranging from 3 weeks to 1 week old in my brooder. Its a pretty good size plastic tote with a screen lid. It has room for their heat source which is a ecoglow and their water and food and a small area for them to chill. I saw some other brooders that were bigger and gave them a chance to move around a little. I went home last night and assembled it. It even had a nice roost for them! They did not like it at all. Once of the chicks hollared for an hour so I moved them back into their plastic tote brooder. They settled down eventually and slept like they usually do. I am assuming chicks dont like change??? any ideas why they wouldnt like it? Im thinking they are not going to like to move to their coop in about a month!

 

[donrae]

They just don't like change. They're not the brightest creatures

. There will be things you'll have to do while keeping a flock they may not like, but the fact is you're the human and you make the decisions. As long as they're safe, it doesn't hurt them to fuss a bit. they'll settle down.

 

[agadams]

Thanks. I didnt want to damage them for life! I will just let them stay in their tote brooder for the time being. I am such a "mother hen" taking care of them. I am glad to know that it is not damaging to them when I make another change. They didnt act that bad when I brought them home from the breeder!!!

 

[azygous]

Yes, chicks are allergic to change every bit as much as older chickens are. I find that when making changes with my chicks, such as moving them from brooder to coop, it helps to move them with something familiar to them.

For example, my chicks were brooded in the run in a secure pen under a heating pad "cave" system. When it came time to move them into the coop around four weeks old, no longer really needing a heat source any longer, I moved their cave into the coop with them. After the first night in the coop, the cave no longer had any heat to it, and by the third night, I was able to take it away, and they began to roost.

If you make changes in increments, it's much easier than sudden changes.