Sweaty Chicks

[mrdaddy]

I wish not to overcrowd the forums but am losing time allocated to research.

I had three chicks, Amerouchan, Deleware and a Plymouth. The smallest of the group looked sweaty one morning. I immediately separated it. Before leaving for my evening shift it looked much better. However, I got the text several hours later that it was dead. My daughter cried, yadda yadda...
Today, the other two chickens are starting to look sweaty, too. I'd rather not lose them all. They are just over a week old. These two looked like they were getting big fast but today they look unhealthy.

It's been a decade since I've raised chickens, I used to do so by the dozen and now it seems like I can't handle three. Would any of you kind folks have an idea?

 

[chicmom]

Could they be too hot? I've never seen any of the chicks I've raised become sweaty looking. How did you set up the brooder? Is the food clean and dry? Plenty of fresh water? Do you have pine shavings?

I hope it's not too late....Where did your chicks come from?

 

[mrdaddy]

I have been monitoring their brooder and making sure my daughter keeps them clean. They are her chicks. It may be to small and drafty, I put a higher wattage bulb on before leaving last night. They seemed alright this morning. Clean food, water and shavings. I thought for sure that the two bigger ones were overcrowding the little one at first. But since they, too, appear sweaty is like to know if it's something we did or a possible disease. They came from a local farm and feed shop.

 

[cafarmgirl]

Birds don't sweat. I can't think of any reason why they would suddenly start looking wet unless they've been falling into their water source or if someone has been handling them a lot with wet or sweaty hands.

What kind brooder do you have them in and how big is it?

 

[mrdaddy]

A large indoor bunny cage, approx. 2x3ft. They aren't handled very often.