Dumb Chicks?

[givengrove]

Bless their little souls but I got 10 new (1 day old) chicks to add to my brooder with 24 (4 day old) chicks.
I've raised chicks over and over many times but this is the first time I've seen this...
Two of the new ten wander outside of the light and don't come back.
And no, they aren't hot, when I went to pick them up they were very cold.
What do I do? Right now I'm keeping them warm in my shirt (which I don't mind doing because chick bonding is the best bonding) but how am I supposed to keep them warm at night?

Idea; are the older ones kicking the two out? Then why are the others still under the light??

 

[barred2rock]

My only thoughts would be to try a moma's heating pad (MHP) instead of the heat lamp or try separating the younger chicks.

ETA: Or could they not be getting enough heat from the light, thus they're looking for another source of heat? Are the other chicks huddled right under the light in a clump?

 

[AlynaD]

Other than them not staying where its warm do they seem normal?

 

[givengrove]

The other chicks are pretty much in the center except going for food and drink.
The two chicks are perfectly normal but a little sleepy, I took the other eight inside with me so that they can all just cuddle together.

 

[givengrove]

I think it might also be a bit about integrating them into the flock??

 

[AlynaD]

I am a true beginner I only have my very first group of 13 so I have to ask is there normally an issue with bringing new chicks into the brooder even if they are only days apart?

Also my chicks from the first days didn't stay under the mother heat pad for long they were darting in and out back and forth not just for water and food but seemed to be playing around is that typical or do they normally huddle under the heat source and only come out if they get too warm or when they are hungry/thirsty?

 

[azygous]

I'm going to throw out a few bits of information to answer a couple of questions posed.

Chicks under four weeks old generally are indifferent to newcomers. They aren't into competition with one another for rank until much later.

"Sleepy" chicks need careful watching. Chicks are usually racing around at top speed, then they will drop wherever they happen to land when they feel the need for a quick nap. They sometimes look quite dead, except they're up and moving again pretty quickly. Chicks that stand around in one spot, with eyes at half mast or closed, are probably sick.

If a chick hangs around outside of the heat zone, appearing not to have the energy to move under the heat to warm up, probably isn't eating enough to fuel its brain to tell it to do things it needs to do to survive. Do not waste any time in treating that chick with tepid sugar water, minced boiled egg, and Poultry Nutri-drench.

Healthy chicks do not stay under their heat source for long. They use a heat lamp or a heating pad cave only for quick warm-ups during the day, and they spend most of their time away from the heat. Even chicks brooded outdoors in temps as cool as 50F, don't spend any more time under a heat source than chicks in an indoor brooder do.

 

[AlynaD]

azygous thank you so much for the information I wasn't too worried about my little ones as they all seem very healthy and don't seem to have any problems I just wondered if it was typical. Also if you can tell me ... how long should they stay in the brooder with the constant source of heat mine are fast outgrowing their brooder.

 

[barred2rock]

The other chicks are pretty much in the center except going for food and drink.
The two chicks are perfectly normal but a little sleepy, I took the other eight inside with me so that they can all just cuddle together.

Sounds like they're not getting enough heat. For the first week the surface temperature under the lamp needs to be roughly 95F, reduced by 5F each week there after. Once they're fully feathered at 4 to 6 weeks heat can be removed & they can be moved to their coop.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/raising-your-baby-chicks

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/...ks-the-first-60-days-of-raising-baby-chickens

 

[azygous]

azygous thank you so much for the information I wasn't too worried about my little ones as they all seem very healthy and don't seem to have any problems I just wondered if it was typical. Also if you can tell me ... how long should they stay in the brooder with the constant source of heat mine are fast outgrowing their brooder.

As I understand it, you're using the heating pad for a heat source. At age three weeks, chicks under the heating pad system will stop using it during the day, or will lounge on top. Typically, chicks using MHP are finished with it by the end of the fourth week at night, too. Those of us using the heating pad system move our chicks into the coop at age five weeks, letting them using the heating pad cave to sleep in for the first few nights, without the pad being turned on. It's a nice transition device, making the move from brooder to coop pretty much painless. Painless for the chicks, too.