Mama Heating Pad in the Brooder (Picture Heavy) - UPDATE

[Mitch Mullenax]

Ok, all. Nervous chick mama here. We brought home 5 chicks today (posted above!) and they looked good when we picked them up. Got them home and they are all really lethargic. I know transport is stressful, but the chicks we got in the mail seemed to be far more active than the ones we brought home in the car today. When I checked before they were all huddled by the wall in a heap, but I moved them under the MHP.

Here are some details:
They are 2-3 weeks old
They seem to be laying fairly flat- I never saw my last round of chicks lay like they are
I haven't seen them drink or eat, but I did dip beaks to show them the water.
I haven't seen them poop in the brooder but on the way home there was lots of normal looking poop. 

Any ideas? Just tired/stressed from the move? Did they get too cold on the way home? Are they weak from not eating/drinking for half of a day?

What do you think about leaving them under the MHP? I'm nervous with how lethargic they are that they won't move to a good spot if they are too hot or too cold.

It's taking all of my will power to leave them alone for a bit because I'm sure continuing to poke around is stressing them out, but I am SO scared that they are not ok. Help!

I'm new but well read. Sounds like dehydration and an electrolytes imbalance.

 

[perchie.girl]

I know this a little off topic for this thread but this thread is so active and helpful to those of us who are new it seems to be the place to turn. The ground where I live is no longer frozen!

It's time for a fenced in play yard. Will the fencing that starts out with 1/2 inch opening on the bottom and gradually gets larger at the top stay critter proof? Or will it need to be all 1/2? I already have a small roofed in run attached to the coop with all 1/2 inch for rainy days. I also will put my chickens in at night. How new am I? My chicks arrive April 15. And Mama heating pad is the plan. Ok advise away...

If it hasent been answered yet you are describing Cattle panels or field fence both have small openings in the bottom and gradutate up to about four to five inches.

Either is excellent for containing sheep and goats. and dogs. But chickens need at least three inches or smaller. For chicks they need half inch while they are little. thats for bird containment.

You can use what you have and line it with chicken wire on the inside. But they will need fortification for nite time. No less than half inch hardware cloth for external windows and ventilation. this will protect them from night time predators liike Raccoons, Mink, Foxes ... etc.

Remember IF its wire it needs to be stretched so that it has some spring in it.

deb

 

[aart]

Good Evenings folks. I posted this in another thread, but of course I'm ansey and look for some opinions or guidance NOW and since this thread has heavy traffic and I'm using MHP......

I dont know if I have a problem. These chicks are about 5 days old. Everythings been going great, very contented. Today I noticed they scattered all their food. A large amount. Nearly an entire chick feeder. Theres only 3 chicks. They dont sound so contented either. Chirping a bit. Is there any idea of what, if anything is going on?

@eagrbeavr Did they knock it over?
Might something have tried to get in there?
What kind of feeder?
Once they learn to scratch it out, they can go to town on that.

 

[ashleymroles]

It's helpful to hear any ideas! I am kind of a nervous wreck about them right now. I don't want them to be uncomfortable or unhealthy-I'm such a baby and a terrible farmer!  Do you think I should put them outside of the MHP? I'm just nervous they will get too cold, but I also don't want them to be too hot if they are too weak to move out of the MHP.

They can keep themselves warm in their huddle so don't worry about that. How are they this morning?

 

[eagrbeavr]

aart, Its one of those plastic little upright chick feeders with the holes all around. Heres a pic of it now.

 

[Blooie]

Totally off topic but it's my thread and I can hijack it if I want to! I'm posting this in as many places as I can to get a prayer chain started for Kendra! Thanks!

The kids just left for Denver this morning. I've got Katie and Evan for the next week. Kendra will be having her 6 month regular Spina Bifida clinic, then she has appointments for Autism screening. That's more a formality - we already know she's on the autisim spectrum so nothing they say will really surprise us.

Then for the first time they'll be meeting with the surgical team about her Ace/Mitrofanoff procedure. They'll do a more in-depth series of exams than just her usual ultrasounds and MRI, and make the final determination about her candidacy and possible surgical date. Jenny and I will end up down in Denver when they do it, and we'll likely be down there for about a month - not looking forward to that but we've done it before, we can do it again. I just hope this works to help give Kendra a more normal life. This is a short thing about the process and the prognosis. From what I understand, when it works it works great, when it doesn't it's a disaster.

So asking for prayers for a safe journey both there and back, and good results for Kendra! Thanks!

http://www.coloradourologists.com/pedia ... fanoff.htm

 

[duluthralphie]

aart, Its one of those plastic little upright chick feeders with the holes all around. Heres a pic of it now.

I use the same feeder.

And I have the same problem.

What I did is put the feeder in a cardboard box inside the cage(box).

I cut the front of the box about an inch and a half high, I left the other three sides at about 5 inches. When they empty the feeder or almost empty it, I pull it out and make them clean up the bottom of the box.

When they get it cleaned ( or reasonably cleaned). I put a full feeder back in. I have a couple chicks that seem to find joy in throwing feed out of the feeder..


good luck.

 

[eagrbeavr]

aart I guess they just had a scratch party. Jeez.

 

[eagrbeavr]

Blooie most certainly well wishes to your family. Positive thoughts and prayers

 

[duluthralphie]

aart I guess they just had a scratch party. Jeez.

A scratch party makes bedding smelly fast....cute little buggars!