How much should my babies sleep?

[chickennewb-E]

They are in a brooder and seem to sleep a lot. Are they like human babies that way? Are they under stimulated? Are they overheated and that’s why they’re too tired? Why do they have to look like they’re dead when they’re sleeping? Why am I panicking over chickens? And why do I still eat chicken if I’m panicking over chickens? So many questions…

 

[Anon112]

In my experience, chicks run around and then will just lay down and sleep, then run around, then drop and sleep again.

What is your heat source? If you are using a heat lamp, you need to make sure they have enough space to get away from the heat.

Do you see any panting? Are their poops normal?

 

[thecatumbrella]

When my chicks are under a week old, they'll sleep quite a bit. I use a heat plate. It does take a bold chick that's ready for food/water to drive the herd out. Otherwise, they're too comfy to move.

 

[Anon112]

When my chicks are under a week old, they'll sleep quite a bit. I use a heat plate. It does take a bold chick that's ready for food/water to drive the herd out. Otherwise, they're too comfy to move.

I'm such a fan of heat plates. Nothing like watching two sleep under it and three sleep on top of it.

We also busted it out when we had three very young kittens whose mother had been killed by a car, and the kittens LOVED it.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

When they're little they sleep a lot. That's because they grow while they're sleeping. So they need to do a lot of it. As they age they will become more active. And yes, just like human babies, baby kittens, puppies, etc.

 

[chickennewb-E]

In my experience, chicks run around and then will just lay down and sleep, then run around, then drop and sleep again.

What is your heat source? If you are using a heat lamp, you need to make sure they have enough space to get away from the heat.

Do you see any panting? Are their poops normal?

They don’t seem to be panting, still breathing through their nose. T

 

[Anon112]

They don’t seem to be panting, still breathing through their nose. T

How big is the area they are in, and what is the heat source?

 

[chickennewb-E]

How big is the area they are in, and what is the heat source?

Galvanized tub, heat lamp on one side, shaded on other

 

[Ridgerunner]

Galvanized tub, heat lamp on one side, shaded on other

Check the temperature on the far end of that tub, that will tell you if yo are overheating them. How are they acting? If they stay as close to the heat as they can all of the time they may be cold. If they plaster themselves to the far end of the tub as far as they can get from the heat, they are too hot. My brooder is 3'x6' with a heat lamp at one end. Mine tend to sleep near the heat lamp but roan all over the brooder when awake. If it is cold out they spend more time near the heat. They are not stupid.

The first few days after hatch mine tend to spend a lot of time under the broody hen or in the heated area sleeping. But after a few days they are roaming around a lot more. Jut wondering how old yours are?