Quote:
A constant cheeping or peeping is NOT normal. It is a sign of distress. The chick is either hot, cold, hungry or thirsty (or lost). If it is in a brooder with a heat lamp you need to watch the chicks - are they as far from the light as they can get and cheeping (they are too hot) or huddled under the light and cheeping (too cold).
If they are with mama is she a "good" mama? I've had broody mamas that walked off and left the baby chicks to fend for themselves. Didn't show them how to eat or drink or anything. Would still sit on ground at night and let them get under her but she would go do her own thing all day and leave them. Luckily with all the freeranging chickens around here, they learned to eat and drink on their own but she was a terrible mother. They ran around cheeping at the top of their lungs for weeks trying to get her to mother them. I had to keep scattering food on the ground so they could eat.
I've also had broodys that were Ninja Mom - you, nor anything else better not get near her babies. She could be seen showing them food, water, and staying right on them at all times and doing the Kung Fu Ninja attack if anything got close to them. Other broodies have neglected the hatched chicks because they are still sitting on unhatched eggs or just still sitting and the hatched chicks don't get to food and water because mama hasn't left the nest. In that case, take any remaining eggs away and move the mama off the nest so she is forced to start "mothering" her babies.
I love my broodys but I watch them and if they aren't getting off the nest or taking care of the babies, I take the babies and put them in the brooder till they are a little older.
A constant cheeping or peeping is NOT normal. It is a sign of distress. The chick is either hot, cold, hungry or thirsty (or lost). If it is in a brooder with a heat lamp you need to watch the chicks - are they as far from the light as they can get and cheeping (they are too hot) or huddled under the light and cheeping (too cold).
If they are with mama is she a "good" mama? I've had broody mamas that walked off and left the baby chicks to fend for themselves. Didn't show them how to eat or drink or anything. Would still sit on ground at night and let them get under her but she would go do her own thing all day and leave them. Luckily with all the freeranging chickens around here, they learned to eat and drink on their own but she was a terrible mother. They ran around cheeping at the top of their lungs for weeks trying to get her to mother them. I had to keep scattering food on the ground so they could eat.
I've also had broodys that were Ninja Mom - you, nor anything else better not get near her babies. She could be seen showing them food, water, and staying right on them at all times and doing the Kung Fu Ninja attack if anything got close to them. Other broodies have neglected the hatched chicks because they are still sitting on unhatched eggs or just still sitting and the hatched chicks don't get to food and water because mama hasn't left the nest. In that case, take any remaining eggs away and move the mama off the nest so she is forced to start "mothering" her babies.
I love my broodys but I watch them and if they aren't getting off the nest or taking care of the babies, I take the babies and put them in the brooder till they are a little older.
