One panting chick-out of 15

[RunnerChick]

I'm new to chickens and after losing two in the first 48 hours, I'm terrified to lose another one. Yesterday was a nice warm day (70F) and the brooder area got a little hot. I noticed one chick was panting. I brought her outside for a minute to cool her off and when I placed her back in the brooder, she seemed fine. This morning (40F outside) the brooder area was normal (not hot) and all the other chickies are happily dispersed throughout, drinking/eating/sleeping. This same chick was as far from the heat as she could be (based on my thermometer it was maybe 75 in that section of the brooder) and she was flat out panting. She's probably about one week old (I got her at a farm supply store so not exactly sure). Everyone else is happy, since that first 48 hours when I had a couple of pasty butts go south despite elytes. She is a little bigger and fluffier than everyone else...she was listed as an "Araucana/Americauna" aka Easter Egger. I have one other Barred Rock from that same store that is less fluffy but otherwise about her size and he's fine (I'm very suspicious he's a rooster).

Am I doomed to lose her? Or is it possible she's just hot compared to everyone else? After I cleaned and replaced water this morning, she stopped panting and ran over to the feeder with her buddies.

Any thoughts are much appreciated!!

 

[cary 1973]

Sounds like she is over heating having more feathers then the rest maybe try and cool it off a little more for her. My biggest one was the same way I lifted the lamp asa the others were fine and she was too. Eased to lose them to heat then cool

 

[RunnerChick]

Okay. Thanks! Yeah, we're predicted to have some warmer weather the next couple of days so I'll keep a close eye on the heat in the brooder...

 

[cary 1973]

Some chicks are happy outside norm range for chicks mine are mid 3 & 4 weeks right now there room ( my bathroom) is 75 this s is where there happy at and even little cooler testerday out side it was 78 out and the girls where hanging our in the shade not the sun so its good to get a base line off the norm to start and then follow the chick leads and signs where there happy

 

[dancingflower68]

One of mine starting doing the same thing. I have been constantly adjusting the temp since they arrived! They are one week old today. I have found that mine generally prefer the temp a bit lower than the recommended temps, and they were really unhappy at 95!! Anyway, I now have them at 86-88 to keep my one girl from panting, and all are fine with it, no huddling etc. I'm glad I have alot of time to spend with them these first few weeks!! I am constantly (obsessively

) fussing and worrying about them!!

 

[RunnerChick]

I hear you about the obsessively worrying! I was home all week with them the first week, but alas, had to run into the office today. They have a reliable chick sitter through the day, but when I saw that girl panting early this morning, I was terrified! I haven't named them yet, as the first chick I lost was my favorite and I had named her. I'm waiting until they are a little bigger. Until this one was panting, though, I thought maybe I'd made it through the worst. I don't know what I'll do if anyone gets eaten by a fox or something....have the husband building Fort Knox...

 

[cary 1973]

I know what you mean about worrying about out side me and my dad are trying to keep every predator out we can think oh