Joyner's Chicks

[JoynersChicks88]

My chicks are one day old today and the mostly jusy lay on their sides and sleep. Is this normal? They do get up and move around some and peep.

 

[Mysticalys]

May be to hot

 

[Meg-in-MT]

Have you checked the temperature in your brooder? Chicks will do quite a bit of sleeping, so I wouldn't be concerned unless there is something else going on. Are they eating and drinking? Are there any other issues such as pasty butt, weakness etc.? Do they get up when you change water or add feed?

 

[JoynersChicks88]

Maybe they are to hot. I'll post video. I've been still giving them water and food by putting their head up to it.

 

[JoynersChicks88]

They try to eat and drink water but after they nap they have a problem getting back up ? Maybe the heat lamp is to close and making them hot? Please help

 

[JoynersChicks88]

They kinda just squirm on their back when trying to get up sometimes. I tried to post this video but it's to large

 

[Meg-in-MT]

Have you checked the temperature yet? Do they have room to move away from the heat? Are they huddled under the lamp?

 

[Meg-in-MT]

Someone will probably be able to help, but you need to supply more information.

 

[aart]

I tried to post this video but it's to large

Up load to youtube then link here.

CHECK your temps asap!


Here's my notes on chick heat, hope something in there might help:
They need to be pretty warm(~85-90F on the brooder floor right under the lamp and 10-20 degrees cooler at the other end of brooder) for the first day or two, especially if they have been shipped, until they get to eating, drinking and moving around well. But after that it's best to keep them as cool as possible for optimal feather growth and quicker acclimation to outside temps. A lot of chick illnesses are attributed to too warm of a brooder. I do think it's a good idea to use a thermometer on the floor of the brooder to check the temps, especially when new at brooding, later I still use it but more out of curiosity than need.

The best indicator of heat levels is to watch their behavior:
-If they are huddled/piled up right under the lamp and cheeping very loudly, they are too cold.
-If they are spread out on the absolute edges of the brooder as far from the lamp as possible, panting and/or cheeping very loudly, they are too hot.
-If they sleep around the edge of the lamp calmly just next to each other and spend time running all around the brooder they are juuuust right!

The lamp is best at one end of the brooder with food/water at the other cooler end of the brooder, so they can get away from the heat or be under it as needed. Wattage of 'heat' bulb depends on size of brooder and ambient temperature of room brooder is in. Regular incandescent bulbs can be used, you might not need a 'heat bulb'. You can get red colored incandescent bulbs at a reptile supply source. A dimmer extension cord is an excellent way to adjust the output of the bulb to change the heat without changing the height of the lamp.

 

[JoynersChicks88]

Tried to download a video of it all but it s to large could someone get in contact with me on FB?