newchickychick
Chirping
- Apr 2, 2025
- 76
- 137
- 86
So it’s me again: I’m a worrier. 
For context JUST in case it’s not normal: I’ve seen quite a few of these in our brooder (really just a giant kiddie pool with pvc walls the chicks LOVE and our last batch loved) today and I’m not sure if I’m catching just only cecals or if something wonky is going on.
- Our outside chicks (7 weeks) have no contact with these. We all wash our hands and wear different clothes between outside and in, shoes included.
- We DID pull the outside feeder to give the big chicks a new one and this one to the inside babies, but it was washed THOROUGHLY before the chicks were given it. Soap and hot water, then another few rounds of water to be sure all the soap was off.
- 14 of our inside batch were shipped, the others picked up from TSC as day-olds. We’ve got around 28 2 week olds and 14 3-6? Day olds in the inside brooder.
- Yesterday we did a big FULL clean of the inside brooder. I am sure it was scary for them! To make up for potential stress, I put a little bit of electrolyte powder (nutridrench) in their water for overnight and swapped it back for normal water this morning. I also made them scrambled eggs they went nuts over, and offered some chick grit too just in case with it. They did not go nuts on the grit but did much down a bit with the eggs, but overall no one gorged on it.
- EVERYONE is behaving normally. Everyone is eating and drinking well, playing hard, and sleeping hard.
- Four of our two week olds ARE gigantic as they are cornish crosses but they have been absolute angels with the little ones. They let all the chicks clamber over them and cuddle up to them, so I don’t see it being a stress issue as I haven’t seen anyone be bullied nor signs of feather picking/etc.
- It HAS been hotter than the days before. There is ample space for them to get away from the heat lamp (and I mean LOTS)! However everyone is roaming the whole brooder just fine and some opt to sleep right under the lamp while some sleep a bit away, and others sleep far from it, so it seems to just be that they can get any temperature they need in there. I’ve got a window open for air flow/ventilation but it is muggy outside so not sure how much it helps if they’re not. (I haven’t seen any panting or signs of dehydration)
This is going to be a lot of text for nothing if it’s not worrying.
Please forgive the food and shavings on it. Chicks sure seem to like pooping in their food.
I do of course totally empty and clean and refill the feeder when there’s poop in it.
For context JUST in case it’s not normal: I’ve seen quite a few of these in our brooder (really just a giant kiddie pool with pvc walls the chicks LOVE and our last batch loved) today and I’m not sure if I’m catching just only cecals or if something wonky is going on.
- Our outside chicks (7 weeks) have no contact with these. We all wash our hands and wear different clothes between outside and in, shoes included.
- We DID pull the outside feeder to give the big chicks a new one and this one to the inside babies, but it was washed THOROUGHLY before the chicks were given it. Soap and hot water, then another few rounds of water to be sure all the soap was off.
- 14 of our inside batch were shipped, the others picked up from TSC as day-olds. We’ve got around 28 2 week olds and 14 3-6? Day olds in the inside brooder.
- Yesterday we did a big FULL clean of the inside brooder. I am sure it was scary for them! To make up for potential stress, I put a little bit of electrolyte powder (nutridrench) in their water for overnight and swapped it back for normal water this morning. I also made them scrambled eggs they went nuts over, and offered some chick grit too just in case with it. They did not go nuts on the grit but did much down a bit with the eggs, but overall no one gorged on it.
- EVERYONE is behaving normally. Everyone is eating and drinking well, playing hard, and sleeping hard.
- Four of our two week olds ARE gigantic as they are cornish crosses but they have been absolute angels with the little ones. They let all the chicks clamber over them and cuddle up to them, so I don’t see it being a stress issue as I haven’t seen anyone be bullied nor signs of feather picking/etc.
- It HAS been hotter than the days before. There is ample space for them to get away from the heat lamp (and I mean LOTS)! However everyone is roaming the whole brooder just fine and some opt to sleep right under the lamp while some sleep a bit away, and others sleep far from it, so it seems to just be that they can get any temperature they need in there. I’ve got a window open for air flow/ventilation but it is muggy outside so not sure how much it helps if they’re not. (I haven’t seen any panting or signs of dehydration)
This is going to be a lot of text for nothing if it’s not worrying.
Please forgive the food and shavings on it. Chicks sure seem to like pooping in their food.
I do of course totally empty and clean and refill the feeder when there’s poop in it.
But with them all acting normal I didn't want to put it under emergencies. The range of how chicken poop can look being 'normal' will give me many more heart attacks in the future, I'm sure.
