Is this normal behavior for my chicks?

[BekkiH]

I brought home some 2-3 week old FBCM chicks this afternoon. We had a little issue when the lamp for the brooder turned out to be a dud, and I had to FLY to Agway to get a new one. The poor chicks were chilly in our cold basement, so I kept them in the small cat carrier they rode home in hoping that their body heat would get them through.

During that time, they cheeped furiously and clearly were not happy. Once we got the new lamp set up, they settled right in to their new little home. They seem a bit skittish, which is understandable since they just left the only home that they've known.

I have gone down to check on them several times. Most of the time, they are just hanging out around the lamp, keeping warm. They wander out frequently to get food and water, but they all seem fine.

In the last 20 minutes or so, they are cheeping a lot again. They don't sound distressed like they did earlier (when they were cold). They're just really chatty.

This question might sound silly, but I am BRAND new to this. Is it normal for them to be this chatty right now?? Or is that a sign that something is wrong??

I am raising chicks for the first time in winter, so I'm really freaked out about making sure I do everything right.

 

[TinaK]

Are they just chatting, or are they peeping quite loudly? Do you have a thermometer in the brooder to check the temp? You want a nice warm place at about 80 - 85F at that age, and an area where they can escape the heat if they want to.

Sometimes they do get noisy! but generally they don't 'peep' too loudly unless they are unhappy about something! I'm sure you have plenty of food and water for them

 

[Ridgerunner]

There is a clear difference in the distress peep and a normal peep, isn't there?

As long as they have food and water and are not either crowding close to the heat source or trying to get as far from it as they can, they are probably being chatty. I would not worry about it as long as it is not the distress peep.

 

[BekkiH]

Are they just chatting, or are they peeping quite loudly? Do you have a thermometer in the brooder to check the temp? You want a nice warm place at about 80 - 85F at that age, and an area where they can escape the heat if they want to.

Sometimes they do get noisy! but generally they don't 'peep' too loudly unless they are unhappy about something! I'm sure you have plenty of food and water for them

They're not very loud, just frequent. I'm sure they're fine, I just want to be extra super sure.

I checked on them a few minutes ago, and they are all excitedly digging around in the bedding. Looks like they're just being silly now. Thanks!

And oh yeah - PLENTY of food and water. They are eating a TON!

 

[TinaK]

At that age they turn into food monsters!!!! Greedy little things! Glad to hear they are scratching about and being happy! Enjoy your new babies