Chicks acting strangely?

[SaraLee72345]

The three chicks I have are all going crazy. They are all making strange and LOUD sounds and running around quickly while still maintaining a huddle. One has her feathers all puffed up and us standing up straight as can be. This all started happening all of a sudden, nothing to trigger it or anything! Because they were huddling I thought they might be cold so I tried to warm up the brooder a little bit more but that didn't seem to help. What is wrong with these crazy chicks?

 

[azygous]

Are they still behaving like they were when you first posted?

How old are they? What is the temperature in the brooder? How big is the brooder?

Do they have chick feed available at all times? Can the chicks reach the feed in the feeder? Has the feed level gotten too low for them to reach it?

Water?

Are there any insects in the brooder? Ants? Do you have a dog or a cat that may have tried to get to the chicks? Could something else have frightened them?

 

[SaraLee72345]

They have calmed down. they have feed at all times, feeder is full, they can reach the feeder and water, they are 5 weeks, they are in a room away from all cats and dogs, they are inside so there are no insects. I still don't know what happened.

 

[azygous]

Here's what I think may have happened. Here where I live, we have quarter-inch long oak moths. Sometimes one will get into the house and I've seen the baby chicks in the brooder stretch up full length to try to snatch the thing as it flies around. It also instigates pandemonium, chicks running all over trying to be the one that gets the moth.

If a small, flying insect made its way into your brooder, that would account for the sudden flurry of activity and the sudden calm following.

At five-weeks, your chicks are ready for playtime outdoors where they can fly and run and frolic. I usually let mine out to free range, such as it is, under strict supervision. They're a hoot to watch at that age!

In order to get them to come to you when you need to gather them up, train them first in the brooder with a container of meal worms or other irresistible treat, using the exact same container every time.It doesn't take long to get them to come to you when they see the container. I usually say, "Bay-bees!" at the same time to give them a vocal command to respond to. Later, I just holler "Bay-bees!" and they will come even though I don't happen to have the container of treats.

Chickens are soooo easy to train!