Chicks a few hours old......HELP.

[Hetherk2]

I have 3 chicks that are under a heat plate, sleeping and look very happy, they are not really leaving the heat plate to explore or food or water. Is it normal for them to be just sleeping and keeping warm?? I was worrying if the heat plate is not low enough....??

 

[igorsMistress]

Being they are new hatchlings this is normal. They'll rest and maybe come out a bit the first day. Hatching is hard work and they have enough nutrition from the yolk to sustain them a couple of days.
I would remove the towel from under the heat plate and lower it. The chicks will put their backs against it to warm up. You want them to bend over to get under there but not have to do a belly crawl.

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

They aren't hungry. They've just gotten an IV bag full of yolk, lol. They are just tired, the first day is spent sleeping.