New Chick Help

[Julia_Bedenbaugh]

Hi everyone,
I just ought six baby chicks, all about a week old, from Tractor Supply. While there and on the short trip home (literally 5 five minutes) they were all very active and chirpy. Since coming home they have been sleeping, about 3 hours now. I dipped all their beaks in the water so they knew where it was and what it was. I have a heat lamp over the brooder on one side. they are all lumped into two sets of 3 on the outskirts of the lamp so I raised it a bit but they haven't moved. One chirped about 5 times a few minutes ago, but otherwise they are not doing anything. I heard baby chicks were very active and now I am wondering if I did something wrong after having them only for a short time.

 

[DobieLover]

Can you post a picture of your brooder?
What is the temperature under the lamp?
What is the temperature at the cool end of the brooder?
What type of bulb is in your heat lamp?

 

[Aunt Angus]

Can you post a picture of your brooder?
What is the temperature under the lamp?
What is the temperature at the cool end of the brooder?
What type of bulb is in your heat lamp?

X2

And chicks do sleep at times. It could be stress from moving. They were shipped to TSC and then driven to your home. I found that temp is important (as DobieLover suggests).

I also found with my own chicks, a little NutriDrench helped a lot. They have that at TSC, too. You can give them a small drop directly. I did that with my lethargic Buff Orp when she first arrived last year. Perked her right up. I also mixed it in their water for a couple of weeks - just a few drops until the water resembled weak tea. It seemed to help.

 

[007Sean]

Depending on whether your brooder is inside or outside...it may be warm enough to not have a lamp on at all.

Pics would really help us out, in order to give you the best information you seek. The lamp should be adjusted to maintain a temperature of 90 to 95° under the lamp on the brooder floor, for the first week, you will want to raise the lamp to lower the temperature by 5°, each week until they are either feathered out or the ambient temperature is around 70°. If they huddle under the lamp, they are cold, if they are at the edges of the brooder as far away from the lamp as they can get, it's too warm for them. They should be evenly distributed around the brooder if the temperature is right.

 

[Julia_Bedenbaugh]

I’ll have to get pics when I get home from work. I have the warm end at 90 which is where TSC had theirs. They all woke up about 9 last night, ate, drank, and went back to sleep. 2 were awake when i got up about 7:30. My daughter is hone so i told her to open the curtains and turn on the overhead light to simulate daytime for them. I’ll try the drops that you mentioned. This is all new to me. I had chicks when i was maybe 7 so none of the taking care part was instilled in me so I want to make sure I’m not doing something wrong.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Well, if they are 7-8 days old, maybe they are just more low energy. If they're eating and drinking, and if their poops are ok and no pasty butt, maybe they're just fine. If it was illness or failure to thrive, I'd think you probably would have experienced loss or would have seen additional symptoms. And the pecking is pretty normal unless one is getting ganged up on or there are injuries.

It's still early in the game. I'm sure it will be fine. Once they are outside, I'm sure they will become those delightful little fluffballs you remember from your childhood! You got this!

 

[Shamo Hybrid]

I wouldn't worry too much about the pecking so long as it doesn't get outta hand.... like actually cause injuries. Chicks are just curious about the new world and the way they know how to observe is through pecking, mine did it for a few days but after awhile they stopped. Pecking is normal behavior, that's how they establish a 'pecking order'.

 

[Julia_Bedenbaugh]

Thanks for all the help and suggestions. I have some things to try now and see how everything works out. I will keep everyone updated. Thanks you so mcuh

 

[gtaus]

Welcome to the BYC forum

It looks like you are doing everything right. I would not worry about the heat lamp. I have used heat lamps in my brooder for 30 years without incident. I think some people have a problem if the heat lamp falls down into the litter and starts a fire. From your pictures, it appears that your heat lamp is above a wire mesh screen on the brooder. So, if the lamp should fall, it would only fall on the screen. I always use 2 methods of securing the heat lamp, like a chain and a clamp. Never had a problem.

Also, baby chicks sleep a lot. That is normal. When they make lots of noise, I have been told that is a sign of lacking something, usually heat. So when nice and warm, they settle down and sleep a lot.

Chicks are going to peck. Unless you see blood, I would not worry. At 1 week old, they are more curious about other chicks than trying to hurt one another. Mostly, they prefer to cuddle up with one another to keep each company and keep warm. But different chicks have their own personality, even at a very young age. Sounds like you are off to a great start.

Please keep thread updated on your progress. Love to follow your progress.

 

[Julia_Bedenbaugh]

Hi Everyone,
Just an update as promised. I added a little protien to their diet and they seem to be happy little chickies for now. I added a couple rocks to the cage and a stick for them to roost on if so desired, and a couple times I've caught a baby using it to climb. I have been taking them out to a little pen I made of cardboard boxes to enjoy the grass outside when its been nice. Overall, they seem happy and healthy. I still have the issue of two of the Orpingtons pecking at everyone else, and I really don't know what else to do about it. I got some of the Peck-No-More stuff from TSC but the little birds clean it off themselves and when they have it on, the peckers just peck the others below the wings on the body. I really don't want to coat them all over in the stuff, so I guess I'll just keep a watch on it and make sure nobody begins to bleed or if they seem to be losing all their feathers, I'll have to see what I can do to stop them. Thanks for all the suggestions and help.