Chicks won’t stop crying?!!!

[Wubba]

I put night lights in the garage, so it's not pitch black. At lights-out, they snuggle together under the brooder. In the morning, I snap the light on and they come running out chirping with excitement to eat and drink. It's super cute!

 

[rosemarythyme]

I didn’t realize I had to turn the lights off. I thought chickens couldn’t see in the dark, so I never turned them off.

They can't, so don't turn off the lights without warning, as they may struggle to find their way to the heat if they feel they want it. Natural light is 100% the best option, otherwise dim the lights gradually if possible so they get warning that it's bedtime.

 

[RoyalChick]

They can't, so don't turn off the lights without warning, as they may struggle to find their way to the heat if they feel they want it. Natural light is 100% the best option, otherwise dim the lights gradually if possible so they get warning that it's bedtime.

Agree with not turning the lights out suddenly if you can avoid it.
However they can see in the dark - just not very well. Like us!
I have had several midnight smackers who come out at night to eat and then go back. With young chicks I have found their brooder mates peep-peep to them to guide them back.
So cute!
Also, I really don’t think anyone should be worrying too much about heat. These chicks are four weeks old, have feathers and I think are indoors.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Agree with those who are saying not to turn the lights off abruptly, sorry I did not make that clear. Think: how does nature do it? And try to mimic that. Harder to do with electric lights, I understand. We have a light bulb for daytime (when the chicks are in the house) and switch to a red lamp to let them know it's night. (That's when we clean their brooder, it helps keep them calm.) If they don't need the lights for heat, we have the brooder pulled out away from the lamps so they only get the light, not heat. They settle down quickly under the red light. I think they can still see, but not very well.

 

[DLA]

Before mine went outside I had two lights, the big overhead in the room and a smaller one kind of like a night light. before bedtime i'd turn off the overhead then about an hour later the smaller light. I made the mistake (?) of handling them a lot and coming whenever they made noise so they totally imprinted on me. It took me a while to break them of the separation anxiety. Some music playing softly helped. But to this day when I walk out of the house they go nuts and yell at me loudly, they don't do that for anyone else. The benefit of that is that when I have them out in the yard they follow me and pretty much go where I direct them.

 

[Rose_adamaj]

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.

I have read the entire thread and know that you have things under control now.
I am replying to help others in the future.
The perfect solution:
Lucy A chiweenie I got from the humane society six years ago. Lucy thinks the chicks are hers & goes to them if they start crying.
The chicks got so used to this that Lucy has to sit beside them when the lights go out to keep them from screaming. Once they go to sleep she leaves.
I can’t find the couple pictures I took that show Lucy sitting next to them.

 

[macmac955]

I put a blanket on top of the cage and it’s definitely darker. I can hear purring and screaming noises at the same time, so I’m a bit confused on how they feel about it

 

[MrsNorthie]

Thanks. My brooder plate doesn’t have a heat setting, but I can adjust the height. Last night the chicks slept together in the corner and got quiet. Thanks for the suggestions, I’ll make sure to try them.

Awe, they are settling in! That is fantastic! I have 15 new hens on their way, we will see how these fluffy little angels settle in.

 

[MrsNorthie]

I have read the entire thread and know that you have things under control now.
I am replying to help others in the future.
The perfect solution:
Lucy A chiweenie I got from the humane society six years ago. Lucy thinks the chicks are hers & goes to them if they start crying.
The chicks got so used to this that Lucy has to sit beside them when the lights go out to keep them from screaming. Once they go to sleep she leaves.
I can’t find the couple pictures I took that show Lucy sitting next to them.

That is awesome! I have a staffie pit that adopted us and he is the same way with the chicks. My dogs just love them.

 

[Farmgirl283420]

Maybe the chicks just like you when ever my chicks saw or heard me they would start crying and trying to get to me!