I have a situation with our youngest chick (now 1 wk old). She will sleep in the brooder with her flock (2 are a wk older, and 4 are two wks older). They all get along, and she is warm enough with the heat lamp, and eating, drinking, popping fine. Acts perfectly healthy, but every time, I pick her up, she is asleep within seconds. And not just close her eyes and relax, but completely limp and out for as long as I'll hold her (like over an hour while watching TV last night).
My theory is that being younger,she requires more sleep than the others, and they are keeping her up, so she's sleep deprived. I'm trying to give her chances to nap with me when I have time to hold her for a while, hoping this will help her catch up, and keep stress down. Is it possible to spoil a chick? Should I let her just get the sleep she can with her brooder mates? Or continue to give her mommy "snuggle time", as my kids call it, when possible?
My theory is that being younger,she requires more sleep than the others, and they are keeping her up, so she's sleep deprived. I'm trying to give her chances to nap with me when I have time to hold her for a while, hoping this will help her catch up, and keep stress down. Is it possible to spoil a chick? Should I let her just get the sleep she can with her brooder mates? Or continue to give her mommy "snuggle time", as my kids call it, when possible?
As long as she is eating/drinking/pooping running around sometimes, I would think your theory is correct. You know how hard it is for a chick to sleep while the others are awake...always getting trampled!
