Chicks won’t stop crying?!!!

[macmac955]

I recently got 3 chicks from a friend and they’re about 4 weeks old. Whatever I do they will NOT go under the brooder plate! They cry and cry until I hold them and get them warm and I don’t know what to do. I feel so helpless I could cry with my chicks What can I do? I’ve tried laying the brooder on the floor, lowering, raising it, shoving them under it. Nothing is working.

 

[RoyalChick]

I recently got 3 chicks from a friend and they’re about 4 weeks old. Whatever I do they will NOT go under the brooder plate! They cry and cry until I hold them and get them warm and I don’t know what to do. I feel so helpless I could cry with my chicks What can I do? I’ve tried laying the brooder on the floor, lowering, raising it, shoving them under it. Nothing is working.

If they are 4 weeks old they may not feel the need of the plate. Are they inside in your house, or are they outside? And if they are outside, what are temperatures.
Mine are currently 6 weeks old and they are outside - they haven't use their heat plate in a while.
Now that doesn't answer why they are crying. Could you post pictures of your set up more broadly?
Also, are they eating, drinking and pooping normally?
Could it be that there is something else they are lacking? I just looked back at pictures of mine a couple of weeks ago (same age as yours are now) and they were ranging around over quite a big area with lots of flying. Could it be that they just need more space?

 

[Red Mangrove]

I have 3 day old chicks in an unheated cardboard box right now and they're doing perfect. I'll cover them up with a towel for the evening in a few minutes and that's all they need

You may be cooking your birds. They're not as weak as people usually think they are

 

[macmac955]

If they are 4 weeks old they may not feel the need of the plate. Are they inside in your house, or are they outside? And if they are outside, what are temperatures.
Mine are currently 6 weeks old and they are outside - they haven't use their heat plate in a while.
Now that doesn't answer why they are crying. Could you post pictures of your set up more broadly?
Also, are they eating, drinking and pooping normally?
Could it be that there is something else they are lacking? I just looked back at pictures of mine a couple of weeks ago (same age as yours are now) and they were ranging around over quite a big area with lots of flying. Could it be that they just need more space?

Thanks for the reply. They are eating, drinking, and pooping pretty frequently. I’m really confused with this because my Orpingtons had no problem in this setup. Now that I hold them they are fine. The cage is in my basement, which is slightly cooler than room temperature.

 

[SilverBirds]

They're brooder may be perfectly fine, they just don't like you being out of sight.

 

[RoyalChick]

They're brooder may be perfectly fine, they just don't like you being out of sight.

That may well be it!
Although I do think at four weeks they will be wanting more space.

 

[RoyalChick]

Thanks for the reply. They are eating, drinking, and pooping pretty frequently. I’m really confused with this because my Orpingtons had no problem in this setup. Now that I hold them they are fine. The cage is in my basement, which is slightly cooler than room temperature.

One thing I feel reasonably confident of is that they don’t need heat. If they are around room temperature and 4 weeks old they are fine without heat.
Mine were still going under their plate at night at that age - but they were outside and temperatures were dipping into the 40s.

 

[Evadig]

Sorry for using a different species…my turkeys were the same way. I had them in a brooder in my bedroom and they cried for me unless I was sitting next to them talking to them. I couldn’t get any sleep! So finally in desperation I turned on some classical music with singing and put it right next to their brooder. They went almost right to sleep, every night!

 

[Evadig]

When I had chicks they did the same thing every night, only it was because they wanted all the lights on - their red heat lamp wasn’t good enough .

 

[MrsNorthie]

I recently got 3 chicks from a friend and they’re about 4 weeks old. Whatever I do they will NOT go under the brooder plate! They cry and cry until I hold them and get them warm and I don’t know what to do. I feel so helpless I could cry with my chicks What can I do? I’ve tried laying the brooder on the floor, lowering, raising it, shoving them under it. Nothing is working.

Your setup looks really good, it isn't too big that they get too far away from each other but big enough that they can get some space.

Our brooder is in my office in my house, so I would talk to the chicks and they had music all day, then at the end of my work day, I would top off food and water, give them some feed by hand, pet each chick goodnight. (yes, I am a crazy chicken lady..lol) and turn the light off, just at sunset, they would all start chirping really loudly for a few minutes, then off to sleep and they were really quiet all through the night.

When they were about 3 weeks, I had the brooder plate set on warm instead of brood and raised to its highest point. (at 4 weeks, I had it standing on its side. ) Does your brooder plate have a warm setting, brooder could be too warm for them, and I am sure if they felt cold they would go under it or as close together as they needed. Maybe they need a little extra attention or as Evadig mentioned, try music.

So finally in desperation I turned on some classical music with singing and put it right next to their brooder. They went almost right to sleep, every night!

since there are only 3 of them maybe they get a little lonely?