Little girl fell in water

[FarmerGirl101]

Please just turn the heat lamp on even tho you live in a hot ish area. I have lost two baby chicks since they got too cold.

 

[chickens really]

Possibly got water in its lungs?...

 

[jonalisa]

The ducks aren't the problem though, sure they're messy but they don't have the capability of doing THAT.

Are you using an open source of water besides the chick waterer?

 

[GoofyNewt]

The heat light needs to stay on- a space heater will not keep the chicks warm enough.
The temperature should be around 90*F degrees for the first week in the warmest part of the brooder and should be reduced by around 5 degrees each week thereafter, until the chicks have their feathers (5-8 weeks old).

It's already pretty warm where I am. Nights only get down to around 70-75, and with the heater on they seem to be doing really well. With the research I've done if they aren't spread out everywhere, or huddled in a corner then the temperature is right.

 

[Lazy Farmer]

Chicks will be normally attracted to open water pans for the first 10 days, and may jump in and drown. I can’t see your setup, but it looks like a normal chick waterer in use. The problem could be with having ducklings in the same brooder. It is dangerous for the chicks to be getting wet, so I would separate them, and make sure there is plenty of room. They can be piling on and smothered if the ducks are bothering them, and they could be kept from food. Ducks need water to dip their beaks into, so it might be better to wait until the chicks are older and can get around well before having them together.

Why do you recomend another box for the ducklings?

SANITARY REASONS! Never house ducklings with chicks. Ducklings are high maintenance and messy. The health of your chicks are in jeopardy as long as the are together in a close environment.
Also by placing marbles in the chicks water rim, will keep them from walking in the deep rim.

 

[Mylied]

It's already pretty warm where I am. Nights only get down to around 70-75, and with the heater on they seem to be doing really well. With the research I've done if they aren't spread out everywhere, or huddled in a corner then the temperature is right.

That's how I do it too. I don't measure temp, just watch the chicks. I use a heat lamp or radiant heater, so have no experience with a space heater.

 

[kwhites634]

Easy solution to this whole thing. Either make a MHP...Momma Heating Pad... or buy a heating plate they can get under when they want more warmth. Either option is better than a heat lamp, which is dangerous, 'specially with a cardboard box

 

[PirateGirl]

You mentioned that your chick got wet. Birds have hollow bones which makes them very sensitive to temperature changes. I suspect your chick got quite cold. It sounds like you live somewhere pretty warm, so you may not have experienced this yourself, but cold (and hypothermia) can make you sleepy, sluggish, uncoordinated. When I'm out in the snow it's hard to do things like zip my jacket, lock and unlock the small latches on the chicken coop, I quickly become uncoordinated myself. I would recommend keeping your chick warm and dry. Does your chick seem to be eating and drinking normally? You can add electrolytes to the water or add a little honey or molasses or maple syrup to make some sugar water, maybe a teaspoon in the waterer when you fill it. It will not hurt the other chicks if they drink it and might help perk this one up a little. Overall keep an eye on her and see if she gets better or worse and see if she is eating, drinking, and pooping normally. If anything changes, let us know!

You can put some marbles or stones in the base of your waterer to keep the chicks from getting in and getting too wet like this picture.

and then you can make a no mess duck waterer from your recycling, similar to this picture, with holes tall enough that the chicks can't get in, but the ducklings can dip their heads in

 

[Hickory Creek]

So, so far I've only gotten one answer on my original topic was...
My chick is doing fine now, it just seems like she is struggling to hold herself up. Sometimes she stumbles and others she walks fine. When she sleeps she lays on her side and when she wakes up she's alert and alive. Anyone know what it could be??

Well I was asking if you had heat light since you asked if she was cold and was guessing the ducks got her wet verses her falling in.

One of my chicks, that is already smaller than the rest, fell in the water and got soaked yesterday. I tried drying her off but it wasn't much help. She's been very quiet and doesn't move much anymore.
Do you think she's in shock, just a little cold, other??

 

[PirateGirl]

oh, and you may be able to put a divider in your brooder instead of making a whole new brooder and just set the ducklings up with their own homemade no mess waterer on one side