can 1 week old baby chicks drown in water

babychickens321 · Sep 25, 2022

I have a one week old bantam baby chick and im wondering if it will drown in its waterer
it doesnt normally sleep when its standing and it goes under the mum if it wants to rest
this is the feeder and waterer I have

I raised some baby chicks before and none of them died in this waterer and my current one is fine as well. is it safe to use this waterer without pebbles and rocks in it?

JacinLarkwell · Sep 25, 2022

They can. I find broody chicks don't drown in shallow water as often as artificial chicks though

_-Captain BRM-_ · Sep 25, 2022

If the chick can get out of the waterer, it should be fine. Maybe put some rocks or marbles in the waterer so they can't get into it. Week old chicks, should be just fine.

EggSighted4Life · Sep 25, 2022

babychickens321 said:
I raised some baby chicks before and none of them died in this waterer and my current one is fine as well. is it safe to use this waterer without pebbles and rocks in it?

I only add shiny things to attract attention.. when they're raised in a brooder. But Mum should show them everything just fine.

I aspirated a (shipped) chick myself by trying to dunk it's beak to show it water (meaning it inhaled water while I was dipping).. which ultimately is drowning once they've got fluid in their lungs. You can hear crackling sound and they become lethargic due to struggling to breath. The outcome has always been fatal. Yes, it happened more than once throughout the many orders of shipped chicks I've received. I don't dip home hatched chicks or broody's chicks.. and I've also hopefully improved my technique when dipping is required! Before those incidents.. I thought a chick had to be fully drown.. that simply isn't the case and it takes very little water for it to occur.

I've never YET had a chick drown using those water types themselves or with a mum. I do consider them safe for use without supervision.

I actually did use a quail waterer that I bought for my first set of bantams due to fear of drowning.. which has a tiny well.. my chicks had a much harder time finding and using it.. though an acquaintance uses it exclusively for her bantam and large fowl chicks.

Pics of mum and babe always welcome!

Ridgerunner · Sep 25, 2022

babychickens321 said:
I have a one week old bantam baby chick and im wondering if it will drown in its waterer

About anything can happen. On your next trip to the grocery store a piece of space junk may hit your car, you may have a fender bender, it may rain on you, or the trip may be totally uneventful. Some of these are more likely than others but any are possible. None of us can give youguarantees.

babychickens321 said:
is it safe to use this waterer without pebbles and rocks in it?

I have used those without pebbles, rocks, or marbles and consider them very safe. The only downside I see to putting pebbles or marbles is that it will take more effort when you change the water. If that makes you feel better it may well be worth it to you.

sdm111 · Sep 25, 2022

Yes they can get a bag of aquarium glass rocks and put in the tray. They'll drink between them

babychickens321 · Sep 25, 2022

JacinLarkwell said:
They can. I find broody chicks don't drown in shallow water as often as artificial chicks though

Oh right thank you! Ill drop a few pebbled in the waterer then

Barred Rock Mama said:
If the chick can get out of the waterer, it should be fine. Maybe put some rocks or marbles in the waterer so they can't get into it. Week old chicks, should be just fine.

alright! I put some pebbles in the waterer

babychickens321 · Sep 25, 2022

Ridgerunner said:
About anything can happen. On your next trip to the grocery store a piece of space junk may hit your car, you may have a fender bender, it may rain on you, or the trip may be totally uneventful. Some of these are more likely than others but any are possible. None of us can give youguarantees.

that's true