Lights on at night? Holding chicks? Newbie mom questions!

[allig8r]

My pics got deleted! Getting a new memory card and then will post!

So I see that someone's chicks "graduated" to lights off at night and I'm panicking because my 1 week olds have been getting lights off at night from day one.

How bad is this???

And on a seemingly unrelated note (but who knows? I know close to NOTHING!) I have been trying to make sure I pick the chicks up for a minute or two each morning to get them used to handling. There was a thread here somewhere that encouraged this. They're 1 week old and they REALLY don't like it. They run from me and then try to get away when I hold them. Is this normal? For those of you that handled your chicks lots as chickies--were they like this and then finally turned at some point?

Man... they sure grow FAST!

 

[speckledhen]

You say lights out, but you don't mean heat out, too, do you? I always run light 24/7 for about a month with enough heat to be sure that they start out with 95 degrees the first week and decreasing the temps by 5 degrees or so each week thereafter, down to maybe in the 70's. If the outside temps are hot, then it's okay to stop heat fairly soon, maybe by three weeks.
I always handle my birds several times a day. They'll get used to it, especially when you have something for them to eat, even chick starter in your hand. If you want tame birds, you have to handle them. Some are harder to tame than others, though.

 

[allig8r]

Whew!

Lights out, heat lamp on. It emits a very faint red glow. I keep a thermometer in there to be sure it's at 95 (this week) and double-check the birds until about midnight to be sure their body language doesn't say "too cold!" (which it did the first two nights).

Thanks for the handling tips. I was REALLY worried about that, too! I did put the starter crumbles in my hand today and I had two of them peck at it a bit.

 

[missusduray]

My chicks LOVE starter crumbles out of my hand. I am waititng until they are a week old before giving them treats. I can hardly wait! I handle mine every day when I clean their pen. I try to hold everyone each day but sometimes I dont get time for all of them. I hope that they start to enjoy it more. They sure do squirm! Oh well one day they will LOVE to be cuddled!
Kristyne

 

[Queen of the Lilliputians]

We've been holding our chicks a ton since day 1, and I actually ASK ds to hold his chick (roo, I'm pretty sure) every day to make sure they are completely tame and used to us. Since they are out in the garage brooder, it's been a little harder, but everyone still gets mandatory holding!

What I've noticed is that a few very friendly chicks (mostly my NHRs) are happy to be patted and held. Some jump into my hand! Most of the others will run TO my hand, but then RUN AWAY when they realize I will pick them up. Once I have them, though, they are fine, and most don't want to be put back. I kind of think they panic for a second, and forget that we've been through this routine every day for 21 days (Happy 3wk birthday to my chicks today!). I don't go in from above, but instead pick them up from underneath, and that helps. I also am petting their chests while they are IN the brooder, and they all love that.

I've also noticed that they don't like being petted like a cat

. They don't like the "head to tail" thing my kitties and dogs love. They prefer chest scratches, neck tickles and between the shoulder pettings.

And for my super friendly guys, it was probably into week #2 before I could tell who was very friendly. But some are getting friendlier all the time (and some aren't. Just depends on the chick). And I think that breed has something to do with it. My NHRs are very friendly, my RIRs are tame and curious but don't like to be picked up, and my BRs (all but one not-so-tame one) are mellow, tame, and ok but not crazy about it.

-Meghan