It has been raining very hard here all day today. I had the lid on the brooder closed except had a screen over didnt realize water could still get. I returned from school today and one chic has passed with one on its way. Chics were cold and whole brooder was soaked all the way through. We blew dry the one that is on its way and wrapped a washcloth around it . It flapped its wings some but still cant stand or move its neck much . I now have the babies in my house nice and warm . ???? is do you think they could have drowned or gotten too cold . It was approx 60 today and chilly from the rain . Or could it possibly be something else ? I let them go outside first time other day and i had given the big girls some scratch , the chics pecked a bit at it . My chics are about 4 weeks old . THanks so much Mindy Lee Pls Help
Oh That is so sad I am sorry to hear that happened and I wish I could tell you what it was for sure. I could only guess that it was the cold and rain.
60 is way too cold for 4 week old chicks...especially in the rain. 80 degrees is the lowest amount a 4 week old can tolerate for very long. So sorry...I know it was a pure accident and they happen to all of us. I think the others will be ok if once they warm up!
I had my 2 month old outside, I covered their pen to keep them dry, they have a place to get out of the rain and I left the light on all day yesterday for them as well. I worried about them all day. It rained hard here on our side of town.
If they got wet at all their feathers cannot surround them in the warm cushion of air and they'd instantly be cold...think of feathers like a sweater...not too good in wind or wet, but very insulative from plain old cold. I hope they are doing better inside...how are they now?
Oh,how sad. Hopefully the others will warm up. They don't do well when chilled. One thing I've found to warm them quickly is a towell,straight from the dryer. Also see if they will drink some warm water or eat warm boiled egg. Need to heat up those insides.
So sorry. I recently lost a chic. It's amazing how fast we bond to them. Another way to warm them is to put a towell on a heating pad and put the remaining chick on it.