Pulled the trigger. Arrival: Next week

[debid]

The 5 buff Orps are the light tan ones with pink legs. The 5 Ameraucanas (Easter Eggers) have greenish legs and probably also sport puffs on their cheeks -- they could be any color. The five that are left are your mystery chicks. It's a lot easier to ID them after they feather but it can be fun guessing at any point.

 

[Counting chickens]

Best to lay heating pad flat and low enough they can get under and put there back against the pad. They could get stuck in a tunnel, unless I'm misunderstanding.
I like that design.

Here's how I did it:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/pseudo-brooder-heater-plate.67729/

I like that design.
I have a pants hanger looped through to form an angle. It's angled down similar to the article, but obviously not as permanent. I also took a piece of fairly flat limestone and put it underneath to retain some heat...

 

[Counting chickens]

The 5 buff Orps are the light tan ones with pink legs. The 5 Ameraucanas (Easter Eggers) have greenish legs and probably also sport puffs on their cheeks -- they could be any color. The five that are left are your mystery chicks. It's a lot easier to ID them after they feather but it can be fun guessing at any point.

There is a runty black one, and 2 bright yellow ones ( like easter yellow)

 

[Counting chickens]

Is it normal to sleep face first in shavings?
They're all exhausted. Probably just thrilled to not be in the box again.

 

[aart]

Is it normal to sleep face first in shavings?

Yes!

 

[debid]

Is it normal to sleep face first in shavings?
They're all exhausted. Probably just thrilled to not be in the box again.

They do sleep lying down on their chests. Perfectly normal. What you don't want to see is a chick sleeping away from the heat source at this age. Later on, no biggie.

 

[Counting chickens]

They do sleep lying down on their chests. Perfectly normal. What you don't want to see is a chick sleeping away from the heat source at this age. Later on, no biggie.

They were all underneath the mat. On the rock, face in the shavings. A couple were under the mat, not on the rock and face down in the shavings.
Freaked me out at first, so they were all rousted awake...

 

[aart]

What you don't want to see is a chick sleeping away from the heat source at this age.

I would think that if they are sleeping away from the heat they are warm enough, unless they are too sick to cheep their distress.

Is it normal to sleep face first in shavings?

Yes!

Another thought.....this is often why folks put marbles in the chick waterers, because they can fall asleep with their face/beak in the waterer and the marbles keep their nostrils from being submerged and drowning.

 

[debid]

I would think that if they are sleeping away from the heat they are warm enough, unless they are too sick to cheep their distress.


Another thought.....this is often why folks put marbles in the chick waterers, because they can fall asleep with their face/beak in the waterer and the marbles keep their nostrils from being submerged and drowning.

That's a problem with an overheated brooder. The chicks can fall asleep wherever they are, feeling no need to go to the heat source. The OP is using a mama heating pad so his chicks should be returning to it to sleep. Anywhere else at such a young age would be a warning sign of lethargy. In a couple weeks, they may start sleeping on top, only halfway under, or around the entrance. That's a sign you can turn the heat down a notch.

 

[aart]

That's a problem with an overheated brooder. The chicks can fall asleep wherever they are, feeling no need to go to the heat source.

Good point.

The OP is using a mama heating pad so his chicks should be returning to it to sleep.

Well, hopefully they have assured that the MHP is fully accessible and functioning well.....I was not too sure about that 'tunnel' configuration.