I just got my first mail-order chicks this morning, from Ideal. I got an assortment of bantams, 28 of them but one was DOA. I think he was trampled by the others in the box, they were extremely crowded together with no room to move, and they were all pecking at each other pretty badly too. I've got another one that was normal and alert, then after it ate a little scrambled egg and had a drink of water, it seemed to become very top heavy and lethargic. It can't stand up well (doesn't seem to be a foot issue though, it was walking fine before eating), and is in a separate brooder now so it won't get trampled...it has just been laying stretched out asleep under the heat lamp all day and doesn't want to wake up unless I make it, and then it goes back to sleep in a few seconds. Is there something I should do for this one? It doesn't seem in pain, just really really tired and sort of weak. I also have another one that sometime during the feeding frenzy when I served them their first meal...lost the ends of the toes on one foot. The other chicks pecked its toes off! It just has some very purple ouchy looking stubs left on that foot, and it walks around everywhere screaming its head off, but otherwise seems fine. I'm sure it's hurting! I washed the foot gently in warm water and applied neosporin to the stubs, and put it in the 'emergency room' brooder with the weak one. Anything else I can/should do for this poor little thing?
Also, I have never had chicks in a brooder in the house before, always outside. I don't remember how noisy they are, it's been a while. How noisy is normal? My chicks all seem healthy and active (except the above two) and are running around eating and drinking, but they are cheeping a lot and pretty loudly! It's actually scaring the cats, they do not even want to come in the house! I have the chicks' brooder box in a bathroom with a space heater and heat lamp, so I don't think they are too cold, but they are just really noisy.
Also, I have never had chicks in a brooder in the house before, always outside. I don't remember how noisy they are, it's been a while. How noisy is normal? My chicks all seem healthy and active (except the above two) and are running around eating and drinking, but they are cheeping a lot and pretty loudly! It's actually scaring the cats, they do not even want to come in the house! I have the chicks' brooder box in a bathroom with a space heater and heat lamp, so I don't think they are too cold, but they are just really noisy.