Chicks peeping loudly

[Roo5]

ok I recently gotta call from my grandmother this morning telling me that my chickens were being obnoxiously loud as if they were in stress or something, she said not all of them were doing this but quite a few.She just gave them fresh feed they have fresh water, they have a dirt box to dig in and often dig and try to eat the organic cleaner on the bottom of their brooder (Or atleast I think that’s what their eating on, could be seeds form the hay),so not only do they have things to eat but they do have things to do, my best guess is maybe the brooder has gotten to small, it’s about 5 feet long maybe a little over two and half feet wide, planned on making a bigger brooder and separating the ducklings but I’m on a trip currently and won’t be back till Monday so they’ll just have to hold off,It sixteen chicks who are about 1 weak old, we also have four ducklings who she said were just fine.What could be the issue?
The only other thing I can think of is their seeking some attention, which their not gonna get form grandma unfortunately.l so they’ll just have to hold off.

 

[DobieLover]

ok I recently gotta call from my grandmother this morning telling me that my chickens were being obnoxiously loud as if they were in stress or something, she said not all of them were doing this but quite a few.She just gave them fresh feed they have fresh water, they have a dirt box to dig in and often dig and try to eat the organic cleaner on the bottom of their brooder (Or atleast I think that’s what their eating on, could be seeds form the hay),so not only do they have things to eat but they do have things to do, my best guess is maybe the brooder has gotten to small, it’s about 5 feet long maybe a little over two and half feet wide, planned on making a bigger brooder and separating the ducklings but I’m on a trip currently and won’t be back till Monday so they’ll just have to hold off,It sixteen chicks who are about 1 weak old, we also have four ducklings who she said were just fine.What could be the issue?

Usually when chicks that young peep that loud, they are cold.

 

[Roo5]

They have a heat and several friends, there just isn’t anyway they could be cold with the heat lamp being as close to the brooder as it is,?and having that much body heat to secure them.

 

[featheredplanets]

They have a heat and several friends, there just isn’t anyway they could be cold with the heat lamp being as close to the brooder as it is,?and having that much body heat to secure them.

It’s easy for us to assume that but have you watched how they behave and taken the temp from under and around the lamp, and checked the temp in the cool spots?

The brooder doesn’t sound too small - yet. But loud cheeping is an indication that something is wrong. It can be from being too hot, too cold, hungry, thirsty or potentially they could be coming down with something. And is it possible the ducklings are bullying the chickens?

I would check the temps across the brooder just to be certain. Make sure they’ve got enough food and water for that many of them. And simply, observe their behaviour, you may find the root of the issue just by doing that.

 

[Roo5]

I’ve been watching behavior,they seem content, other then today ,when I left, none of them seem to be unhealthy they were moving great.There is defiantly more then enough feed and water.I told her to offer them some sort of treat, maybe their just being beggars.Also possibility one of our cats got in there and was checking the chicks out and maybe got them excited.

 

[Roo5]

Ok so she called me back and told me they have calmed down and that there also weren’t any cats in there.

 

[Roo5]

Oml,we figured out the issue.So my grandma fed the chicks chick grit, not sure how she managed to mix chick grit and chick feed up as this is nt hers or mines first rodeo.
This issue has been fixed and the chicks are happy again.

 

[featheredplanets]

Chick grit is fine. I’m not sure why that would cause an issue, it shouldn’t. Unless your grandma has only been feeding them that? If you’re giving chicks treats, grit is a necessity anyway.

 

[Roo5]

No all they had available was chick grit, she filled their entire chick feeder with grit.

 

[Doc7]

No all they had available was chick grit, she filled their entire chick feeder with grit.