Help I think I have sick babies!!!

[Aliasofryan]

i just got some chickens from the hatchery and 2 of them don’t seem to be acting normal. I followed instructions on what to do when they arrive and all the others seem to be doing well. These two are just laying beak first in the wood shavings breathing heavy. And I’ve noticed they kick one of their legs out to the back or side. I have no clue why or what do please help!!

 

[Kiki]

Hi there.
I am sorry to hear the chicks aren't doing so well for you.

What does your brooder look like?
Can you post a picture of it?

What is the temperature in the brooder?

 

[Aliasofryan]

The temp is at 96 now it was at 100 the hatchery I got them from said to boost it for the first few hours after they arrive to warm them up from travel.

 

[NNYchick]

Do they have Splay leg aka spraddle leg. This is easy to fix with a rubber band and a piece of drinks straw (search here or google it you will find the instructions. If it is the chicks may not be able to walk away from heat or get a drink. The chick you show looks to be right under heat lamp if it cant move it may be over heated, try dipping its beak in water and move to a cooler area of the brooder while you look up splay leg.

 

[RodNTN]

Keep the temp at or around 95*, did you just get them today? It takes chicks about a day to get used to their new home.

 

[RodNTN]

@Wyorp Rock @lazy gardener @azygous

 

[Aliasofryan]

The chick is in the cooler side of the brooder. I have thermometers at both sides it’s 96 under the lamp and 89 on the cool side currently. I’ve been keeping an eye on them every half hour and they move back and forth across the brooder but this and the other one will stay where I put them. I’ve tried dipping their beaks again and they will stand for a few moments and then lay back down

 

[Aliasofryan]

Keep the temp at or around 95*, did you just get them today? It takes chicks about a day to get used to their new home.

Yes I got them this morning from the post office. They came from Indiana so it was not a easy journey for them.

 

[happyhens1972]

I hope your chicks are OK....I can't promise anything but just so you know, it is very normal for young chicks to sleep A LOT!!! And when they do, they often just 'face plant'. They go from running around doing chickeny things to looking like a dead thing in about a millisecond! The photo certainly doesn't immediately cause me to worry, just looks like a sleepy chick but it's other things you need to watch for. Are the chicks eating, drinking? Are they huddled by the light (brooder too cool) or avoiding the light (brooder too warm) Have you checked the temperatures? The 'laying with their leg out' may be an indicator of it being too warm....do they have an area away from the heat source they can escape to? There should be cool spots. Are they peeping a lot, making loud, distressed cheeping or are they pretty quiet, just cheeping when active (sign of happy chicks)

Sorry for all the q's but more info will help determine if you have normal sleepy chicks or potentially poorly ones xx

 

[QuailExpert]

it would be weird or two to have this issue but check their vents, and keep an eye on all their vents during the young age. i had a chick pass away from a clogged vent we didnt realize it was covered, their fuzzy feathers make it easy for droppings to get stuck.