HELP!! Keeping days old chicks warm enough after they all got wet

[HenMumma]

I have ten bantam and silky chicks that range from 2 to 10 days old. Tonight they knocked their water over and all got wet. I'm so nervous about them not being ok.

The lady I bought them from said they'd be fine without heat (which I've now learnt is not correct) so I don't have any proper heating methods in hand (not even a hair dryer). I've changed the wet bedding, have a space heater in the room that's keeping it at 31°C and put a rabbit fur in with them (they are all huddled on it currently) and a sheepskin over the box.

Will this be enough? My anxiety is going through the roof. I could put a second rabbit fur in and try seperate them slightly to avoid piling but also want them warm from huddling

PS. Tomorrow I'm going to go get proper heating

 

[Cloverfluff]

Depending on how close they are to it, it might be helpful to make sure the space heater is close enough that they are getting access to more direct heat while using caution they can't actually touch it to prevent injury.

 

[ella2025]

I have ten bantam and silky chicks that range from 2 to 10 days old. Tonight they knocked their water over and all got wet. I'm so nervous about them not being ok.

The lady I bought them from said they'd be fine without heat (which I've now learnt is not correct) so I don't have any proper heating methods in hand (not even a hair dryer). I've changed the wet bedding, have a space heater in the room that's keeping it at 31°C and put a rabbit fur in with them (they are all huddled on it currently) and a sheepskin over the box.

Will this be enough? My anxiety is going through the roof. I could put a second rabbit fur in and try seperate them slightly to avoid piling but also want them warm from huddling

The heater is ok if your room is on the dry side. As long as temperature is pretty high they don't need "chick heaters". Just make sure you lower the temperature every week and keep it high while they are still wet. I wouldn't be too concerned unless they were absolutely soaked, like straight out of the incubator wet.

 

[Folly's place]

Welcome!
Yes, a hair dryer would get them dry faster, but you are doing well with the heater a bunny fur for now.
The best and safest heater for chicks is a brooder plate, and that's what I'd recommend, immediately.
Get a bigger plate than the minimum size recommended!
31C isn't really best for those youngest chicks, a bit warmer would be better. Huddling is helping them though. What's best is a warm place and then cooler at the other end of their brooder, and definitely a waterer that won't tip over!
Pictures of your setup would help, and what are you feeding them?
We do all love pictures of cute chicks!
Mary

 

[debid]

Nipple waterers are drier and if you rig it up to hang, it can't tip. So, my suggested shopping list is a brooder plate and a nipple waterer or just poultry nipples if you are a DIY type. I made mine with a juice bottle and some galvanized fence wire (to hang it), happy to share pictures if you are interested.

 

[Ridgerunner]

It's been about 7 hours since you posted, how are they doing?

31 C is about 88 F, which isn't bad. That fur to cuddle in will certainly help. There is nothing wrong with safely adding heat as long as you only heat one area and give them a cooler spot to go to if they get too hot.

Your problem was that they got wet. That removes the warming effect of their down plus they can get chilled as that water evaporates. Any wind hitting them makes it really bad. A wet brooder is not good either. Hopefully they have safely recovered.

Hopefully your emergency is now over. I don't know what kind of waterer you have that they can tip over. I use a bowl and fill it with rocks so they can walk on the rocks and drink from between the rocks without getting wet and it is to heavy for them to tip over. There are always different ways to solve a problem.

Good luck and let us know how you made out.

 

[FunClucks]

A note on nipple waterers - I use the horizontal ones - my chicks need to be 4 wks old or older to be strong enough to push the metal plungers correctly to get the water out. For the vertical ones, they tend to dribble, which I don't like, so I don't use those.

I've used paper towels to dry wet chicks, and human body heat, combined with rabbit fur or ostritch feather dusters to help chicks heat up quickly. Once they're dry, they can huddle together under the fur or feathers to continue staying warm, but get them proper brooder plate or heat lamp heating asap for sure.

Hope things have turned out ok for you. Let us know.

 

[debid]

Vertical style nipples have to be installed vertically. Having them at an angle causes water to release without touching the lever. They can, however, be used with very young chicks, I start mine on them. And if properly installed, they won't dribble nor leak nor drip between uses.