Chick is Panting? UPDATE

[ddcoyne]

She did end up passing away this morning. Details in the last post in this thread.

We have 16 baby chicks that we purchased from the feed store almost two weeks ago. They are thriving and growing and we are enjoying them so much. I have one chick that is much larger than the rest, twice as big as some of the others. She eats and drinks and poops just fine, but spends a lot of the time with her mouth open doing what looks like panting. Other than that, she seems like the rest of the chicks. Any idea what's going on with her or is this a normal thing? After all, I don't know because this is our first experience with chickens.

Thanks!

 

[ChickenCrazy4ever]

Maybe the chick is too warm?

 

[Fred's Hens]

She's your signal. It's too hot. Start lowering the temps. By week 3, mid 80's.
Also, expand the brooder, giving them room to move in and out of cool areas. Sometimes, even the mid 80's is too hot during the day.

 

[ddcoyne]

Well, I'm not sure because none of the others seems to mind the temp. The temp hovers between 85-90 degrees F. We have had them for just over 2 weeks.

 

[Katy]

I agree it sounds like she's too hot. I start my day olds out at no more than 90 degrees and they're down to 80-85 by week two. It's easy for them to get too hot when they're down inside a brooder box with little or no air circulation.

 

[ddcoyne]

I just rechecked the temp and it's about 86. Is this too warm? part of the box gets afternoon sun and the other part I have shaded with a towel. So they have both light & shade.

One other question... Is there any reason she might be so much bigger? She is no further along maturity wise. In fact some of the others have had more feathers grow in than she has.

 

[ChickenCrazy4ever]

She might be more dominant and therefore eating more.

 

[Nikkumz]

Its still gonna be hot in the box even with a towel, that can actually hold the heat in more. Id just raise your heat lamp a bit....Is he/she trying to stay away from the lamp at all?

 

[ddcoyne]

She goes all over the box. They are all active and no one seems to be trying to avoid the light or stay in it. I actually turn the lamp off for a few hours during this time of day because the afternoon sun warms the area. She is the only one that "pants" if that's even what it is. I'm not sure.

Thanks for all of the replies! This is a friendly place. I'm happy to have found it. Looks like a wealth of info!

 

[Fred's Hens]

Raise your lamp, and/or decrease the wattage. It's time anyhow. Days are getting warmer and the chicks are not newborns anymore. Keep doing this until week 5 when they only need a slight amount, night only. Week six, they're are all done with heat anyhow.

You have their grow out pen all ready to go, right?