Is this normal behavior?

[Nicholas Dean]

I got some chicks yesterday and now they're home and safe. I turned the heat lamp on, made sure they know where the food and water was, watched them for a while and noticed they were eating a lot. When I woke up they were still eating. (The heat lamp is on the opposite side from the food) Should I have turned off the heat lamp? Should I move the heat lamp further away? Are they just hungry growing chicks?

 

[chuckachucka]

Yep, normal. Chicks eat for a bit, sleep for a bit, poop and repeat. Do not turn off the heat lamp. They don't need dark to nap. It takes a good few weeks for them to start to want to naturally sleep at night instead of during the day.

 

[Nicholas Dean]

Yep, normal. Chicks eat for a bit, sleep for a bit, poop and repeat. Do not turn off the heat lamp. They don't need dark to nap. It takes a good few weeks for them to start to want to naturally sleep at night instead of during the day.

Ok. So open feeding them isn't a problem?

 

[chuckachucka]

They should have a constant supply of chick food and will not overeat it. It's a good sign in very young chicks that they are eating well! As long as they are pooping ok (no pasty vents) there is no problem.