Help! Just got chicks. Keep Swimming in waterer

[Matrix Escapee]

Just got chicks! 2 days old.
They are all alive! Started eating right away and warming up, running around and seem happy.
HOWEVER, about 1/2 of all going to the waterer (3 gallon plastic waterer) are climbing into the rim and standing in the water saucer.
Any idea on why? I tried changing the height of the waterer, and it did not make a difference. Does anyone else have this problem?
At first I thought they were trying to get warm in the water, but the water is not hot, just barely luke warm.
I have two 250 watt lamps, and they are on shavings, so i know they can get dry and warm when they hop out. Just worried that they will get too wet and cold before they dry off.
Help please!

 

[jmmre31]

This is a stretch, but maybe they are just looking for a roost. Try putting in a brick that would be a little higher than the water and see if they collect on that! Sorry, that is the only thing I can think of.... oh, Maybe, they are really hot and trying to cool off. What's the temp?

Good luck!

 

[twister]

fill waterer rim with rocks, marbles... etc so they will not drown or chill.

I have found that the chick waterer works wonderfully for the first few weeks ... it is only a few bucks at TSC.

 

[zatsdeb]

do you have marbles in the waterer? marbles keep them from drowning. if you don't have marbles, rocks will work, just wash them off. is the waterer near the lights, I keep my waterer away from the lights, how big is the brooder? maybe they are too hot and they are running around looking for a cooler place?

 

[twister]

mmm just re-read your OP. if your brooder is indeed small ( and I am just out on a limb here, since you didn't say) then prolly TWO 250w are too much.. do you have an ele. thermometer that is reading temps?

90-95 is optimal until they get feathers then ya gradually drop the temp... ( just a lil info..sorry if you already know it.)

 

[Matrix Escapee]

They are in an outdoor shed. The brooder space is large. They have access to a 5x8 area. So, even though it is two lamps, it is b/c our outside temp was 35 this a.m.
The inside temp the shed is only 50. I have 100 Cornish X, so i felt like 2 lamps were needed to accomidate 100 birds given the ambient temperature in the shed. In fact when they come under the lights to warm up, there is a big froup of them under each lamp. Without the second lamp, they would all not be able to fit under one lamp. My temp under the lamps is 90. A couple feet away from the lamp, the temp drops to around 70, so they are DEF. not too hot. PLenty of room for them to all find whatever range of temps they want.
As far as drowning, they are fine standing in the dish of the waterer, it is only 1/2 or so deep, and they are able to easly climb in and out of it. I just am worried about them being wet.

 

[Matrix Escapee]

Here is the brooder within 10 minutes of unloading the box. Trying to show the chicks standing in the dish of the waterer.

 

[Nicole01]

Look at all those beautiful babies! No clue why their in the water. Perhaps they are too warm??? I just got my first 3 chicks last week. They do not stand in their water dish.

 

[Mak]

Every chick I've had, both last year and this, has walked thru the water and feed if they can. Heck, the grown chickens walk thru their treat bowl every day. In summer, if I put out a flat dish of water for extra in the hot weather, they walk thru that when they drink. I think it's just being chickens- they don't care, they just want the water or food anyway they can get at it. As long as they can get warm and dry, it shouldn't hurt them unless they are getting truly soaked. They will be big enough to not fit as much really fast.

 

[Matrix Escapee]

Thanks Mac, that's was what I was thinking (hoping). They just were probably really thirsty and didnt care where they were standing, just wanted water.