Chicks in MHP for a long time.

[Ridgerunner]

When I put my chicks into my brooder straight from the incubator or post office they tend to stay in the heat quite a bit the first day or two. They eat and drink some but to a certain extent they are still living off of the yolk they absorbed when they hatched. The same thing kind of happens with my broody hens, the chicks spend more time under her the first couple of days but it's not that long before they are running all around.

Koggecritters the behavior you described sounds perfectly normal to me. They stayed in the heat at first and rested up. Then they started checking out things. To me, that does not indicate distress.

Personally I do not automatically use electrolytes or sugar water for them in the brooder. I use plain water and it works. I have used sugar water (diluted hummingbird liquid) for chicks and grown chickens in distress. It gets liquid in them to battle dehydration and it gives them energy so they feel like eating and drinking on their own.

I do not see anything wrong with giving them sugar water or electrolytes. It will not hurt them and if they are in distress it can help them. I just haven't found it to be necessary except as a treatment.

I don't brood in the house but I like your set-up. They can go warm up if they need to but they should spend a lot o f time out of the heat. Don't be surprised if they spend more time on top of that heating pad than under it. I would cover it with a net or something. They can fly pretty well at a really young age, you might want to keep them contained.

 

[Koggecritters]

Ridgerunner they are doing great! My hardware cloth comes in tomorrow. My chicks were shipped a little earlier than expected! It's been a marathon but we get to start construction on the coop this weekend. I've wanted chickens for as long as I can remember, and we have finally moved to a new house with land and room for a coop!

 

[zweibucherwurm]

Hi,
I've had chickens for 3 or 4 years now, but this is my first time with baby chicks. I got them from a local farmer (from whom I've gotten pullets in the past) and I'm pretty sure he uses a heat lamp. They are less than a week old. I got them today and it snowed 6 inches so I moved my brooder box from the shed to the (only barely heated converted garage) room. They have only come out from the Mhp when I've reached in to get them. I also set up a nipple waterer for them so I've demonstrated how to get water with each of them. Is this just too much change at a time for these little gals? Is it just cold? How long until they are out "exploring"?

 

[azygous]

Hi,
I've had chickens for 3 or 4 years now, but this is my first time with baby chicks. I got them from a local farmer (from whom I've gotten pullets in the past) and I'm pretty sure he uses a heat lamp. They are less than a week old. I got them today and it snowed 6 inches so I moved my brooder box from the shed to the (only barely heated converted garage) room. They have only come out from the Mhp when I've reached in to get them. I also set up a nipple waterer for them so I've demonstrated how to get water with each of them. Is this just too much change at a time for these little gals? Is it just cold? How long until they are out "exploring"?

If it's very cold, the chicks will be under the heating pad most of the time except to come out to eat. After the first week, they begin growing feathers and they can stand more cold exposure at a time.

If you start your own thread, we could address any specific issues you might have and help you adjust your heating pad system if that's what's needed. Take some pictures of it, start a thread, and also state how cold it is.