Chicks look wet?

[Minitot]

Hi I have 8 chicks all about 3-4 weeks old. I originally had them in my rabbit cage with my rabbits and for a while they were doing just fine, they'd cuddle up to rabbits at night and there weren't any problems I could see with them being together. A couple days ago one of my chicks got its leg caught in the wire and got hurt, so I took it to the vet and got antibiotics and an anti inflammatory. Because of this I decided I needed to move my chicks to their own space with a flat surface, but didn't have anything for them yet. I decided to put them into my duck cage for the day while I went to work and then goodwill to pick up a tub of some sort. When I got home, all of the chicks looked wet so I quickly set up their new home and started moving them over but noticed their feathers werent wet, but more oily and a little bit crusted together? Almost matted? I pulled apart the clumps and looked for signs of mites or any other illness but saw nothing. Nothing crusted to their butts, and no mites or bugs of any kind. All of them seem perfectly fine, all eating and drinking normal and active. Any ideas why they look and feel so greasy?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hi I have 8 chicks all about 3-4 weeks old. I originally had them in my rabbit cage with my rabbits and for a while they were doing just fine, they'd cuddle up to rabbits at night and there weren't any problems I could see with them being together. A couple days ago one of my chicks got its leg caught in the wire and got hurt, so I took it to the vet and got antibiotics and an anti inflammatory. Because of this I decided I needed to move my chicks to their own space with a flat surface, but didn't have anything for them yet. I decided to put them into my duck cage for the day while I went to work and then goodwill to pick up a tub of some sort. When I got home, all of the chicks looked wet so I quickly set up their new home and started moving them over but noticed their feathers werent wet, but more oily and a little bit crusted together? Almost matted? I pulled apart the clumps and looked for signs of mites or any other illness but saw nothing. Nothing crusted to their butts, and no mites or bugs of any kind. All of them seem perfectly fine, all eating and drinking normal and active. Any ideas why they look and feel so greasy?

Can you post some photos - chicks, housing, etc.?

 

[Minitot]

 

[feathermaid]

Hi I have 8 chicks all about 3-4 weeks old. I originally had them in my rabbit cage with my rabbits and for a while they were doing just fine, they'd cuddle up to rabbits at night and there weren't any problems I could see with them being together. A couple days ago one of my chicks got its leg caught in the wire and got hurt, so I took it to the vet and got antibiotics and an anti inflammatory. Because of this I decided I needed to move my chicks to their own space with a flat surface, but didn't have anything for them yet. I decided to put them into my duck cage for the day while I went to work and then goodwill to pick up a tub of some sort. When I got home, all of the chicks looked wet so I quickly set up their new home and started moving them over but noticed their feathers werent wet, but more oily and a little bit crusted together? Almost matted? I pulled apart the clumps and looked for signs of mites or any other illness but saw nothing. Nothing crusted to their butts, and no mites or bugs of any kind. All of them seem perfectly fine, all eating and drinking normal and active. Any ideas why they look and feel so greasy?

Hi again, Tot!
Thanks for posting pics.

Your chicks have outgrown this brooder, they need a bigger one. Can you move them now to their own coop, maybe with a heat source for a bit longer? If not, even 2 or 3 large cardboard boxes with sides cut out and taped together to make one long box would work.

Once they get a much bigger area, you'll have room to fit a bowl (or casserole pan) of sand or dirt so they can start taking dust baths. It may take a few days of bathing to fully resolve the oil situation.

I only have 3 chicks and they are in a 50 gal tote for the next week until I move them to the coop to start my integration process. Here's what my brooder looks like now. I don't use a heat lamp, the square you see is a Mama Heating Pad, like a little cave. It's much safer and more natural than a lamp, but it does take up more space.


Helpful tip: if you can place the waterer on a brick or platform of some sort, the water will stay much cleaner... you'll still have to change it once (or twice) a day but it helps in the meantime. Soiled shavings in water will grow bacteria very quickly. I also put in a little mirror and made a perch to offer some enrichment.

At this age, your chicks really should be dust bathing daily, so they need access to sand or dirt (or mixture) all the time, since they probably won't be "in the mood" when you want them to. But if you catch them in the act, they won't mind you staring and laughing! Dirt is nature's way of cleaning bird's skin and feathers, and keeping away parasites.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hi again, Tot!
Thanks for posting pics.

Your chicks have outgrown this brooder, they need a bigger one. Can you move them now to their own coop, maybe with a heat source for a bit longer? If not, even 2 or 3 large cardboard boxes with sides cut out and taped together to make one long box would work.

Once they get a much bigger area, you'll have room to fit a bowl (or casserole pan) of sand or dirt so they can start taking dust baths. It may take a few days of bathing to fully resolve the oil situation.

I only have 3 chicks and they are in a 50 gal tote for the next week until I move them to the coop to start my integration process. Here's what my brooder looks like now. I don't use a heat lamp, the square you see is a Mama Heating Pad, like a little cave. It's much safer and more natural than a lamp, but it does take up more space.
View attachment 1731884

Helpful tip: if you can place the waterer on a brick or platform of some sort, the water will stay much cleaner... you'll still have to change it once (or twice) a day but it helps in the meantime. Soiled shavings in water will grow bacteria very quickly. I also put in a little mirror and made a perch to offer some enrichment.

At this age, your chicks really should be dust bathing daily, so they need access to sand or dirt (or mixture) all the time, since they probably won't be "in the mood" when you want them to. But if you catch them in the act, they won't mind you staring and laughing! Dirt is nature's way of cleaning bird's skin and feathers, and keeping away parasites.

 

[Minitot]

Hi again, Tot!
Thanks for posting pics.

Your chicks have outgrown this brooder, they need a bigger one. Can you move them now to their own coop, maybe with a heat source for a bit longer? If not, even 2 or 3 large cardboard boxes with sides cut out and taped together to make one long box would work.

Once they get a much bigger area, you'll have room to fit a bowl (or casserole pan) of sand or dirt so they can start taking dust baths. It may take a few days of bathing to fully resolve the oil situation.

I only have 3 chicks and they are in a 50 gal tote for the next week until I move them to the coop to start my integration process. Here's what my brooder looks like now. I don't use a heat lamp, the square you see is a Mama Heating Pad, like a little cave. It's much safer and more natural than a lamp, but it does take up more space.
View attachment 1731884

Helpful tip: if you can place the waterer on a brick or platform of some sort, the water will stay much cleaner... you'll still have to change it once (or twice) a day but it helps in the meantime. Soiled shavings in water will grow bacteria very quickly. I also put in a little mirror and made a perch to offer some enrichment.

At this age, your chicks really should be dust bathing daily, so they need access to sand or dirt (or mixture) all the time, since they probably won't be "in the mood" when you want them to. But if you catch them in the act, they won't mind you staring and laughing! Dirt is nature's way of cleaning bird's skin and feathers, and keeping away parasites.

Yeah I know, they look so huge in this container! I'm currently looking for something like what you have to put them in to, this is just temporary. I definitely want a mama heating pad though! I will get together the dust bath and new tub asap! And yeah their water gets yucky so fast, I have to clean it out 3-4 times a day currently.

 

[feathermaid]

If you have room, you could try asking the produce department at a grocery store if they have any large empty cardboard bins (like what watermelons and pumpkins are shipped in). They'll usually hand one out for free. You just might have to disassemble to fit in your car and reassemble at home.

 

[Minitot]

I you have room, you could try asking the produce department at a grocery store if they have any large empty cardboard bins (like what watermelons and pumpkins are shipped in). They'll usually hand one out for free. You just might have to disassemble to fit in your car and reassemble at home.

Thank you so much for the help!!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Yeah I know, they look so huge in this container! I'm currently looking for something like what you have to put them in to, this is just temporary. I definitely want a mama heating pad though! I will get together the dust bath and new tub asap! And yeah their water gets yucky so fast, I have to clean it out 3-4 times a day currently.

I agree, they need more room.
Grocery store is a good place to get boxes. I can also find large toilet paper or paper towel boxes at some place like Dollar General - they will let you have them. Tape your boxes together to make a large coral to keep them in. Works good for temporary "housing".
Do you have your outside housing ready for them? Any electric there? If so, think about brooding them outside where you have more room.

 

[Minitot]

I agree, they need more room.
Grocery store is a good place to get boxes. I can also find large toilet paper or paper towel boxes at some place like Dollar General - they will let you have them. Tape your boxes together to make a large coral to keep them in. Works good for temporary "housing".
Do you have your outside housing ready for them? Any electric there? If so, think about brooding them outside where you have more room.

My outside coop is not finished yet, I might put a fan of some sort in it to help keep it cool during the summer months as it gets really hot here in Arizona.