Update Sick Baby! Got my babies this morning! Have Questions!

[ChickenSoup82]

They all seem to be doing well with a couple of exceptions!
The polish chicks seem to be having the hardest time and it looks like they might have been pecked at in transit because they are a little smaller. They have a little spot of red right at the top of their beaks that might be blood. They keep laying down and looking very sleepy, Do chicks sleep during the day? Should I let them sleep or keep picking them up and putting their beaks in the water like I have been doing? I had electrolytes in the water but wasn't sure if I mixed it right so I dumped it and replaced it with sugar water. I think I made the right call there. They seem warm enough they are all spread out and mostly happy. What should I do with the ones who seem sleepy?

Update
Well I have one little baby that is not doing so well and I don't think it will make it. I cleaned its vent because it looked pasty and it peed but no poop. It was swolen and very sore looking, I tried the vasaline with no change. Then I tried the preparation H and it seemed to feel better. It drank six long drinks and it has been sleeping standing up for a long time. Well I just applied another dose of Preparation H after coming home to find it oozing white gunk. It is laying down with the other chics. I think it is because they got into the pine shaving bedding and were eating it and the chick is just constipated. We will see if she recovers. Any advice?

 

[s6bee]

You would be amazed at how much they sleep. They will be up running around then just practically shut down, and sleep. It's on, off, on, off with chicks. So don't be alarmed, you don't want to keep them up or you will wear them out. They are babies. Just a little electrolytes in the water for day one is all they should need for the stress of the trip but really plain fresh water should be enough. Keep an eye out for them to make sure they aren't being pecked or pushed away from food and water. If they are being bullyed, then seperate if possible.

Note- check your temperature in the brooder. You don't want the chicks too spread apart, that may indicate they are too hot. They usually will be close to one another but not huddled tight under the light if it's the right temp. If they are sleeping or just hanging around out and away from the light, it's too hot. Remember 95 degrees under the light right now.

 

[crooked stripe]

My chicks have been hanging together ever since they where day old. Now at 13 weeks they travel in a bunch, eat in a bunch and rest in a bunch. They are like a team. At night they never sleep spread out on the roost they seem to want to lean on each other all night long. They are bo's and black austrolorps so kinda the same breed and size. John

 

[ChickenSoup82]

They are doing much better, everyone is up and healthy looking. Thanks for the help. I have them in a 3x2 playpen lined with cardboard and newspaper with about an inch of pine shavings. I had a 250 w red bulb and a 150 w white bulb over it. I turned off the white bulb and they seem to be doing just fine without that one on. They are still wandering around but spending more time together. Do I need a thermostat, I don't have one? There are 22 of them. There are three of each of the following: Barred Rock, White Rock, Partridge Rock, Buff Rock, Ameracauna, and then seven Buff Polish. I have seven Buff Polish because they put in extra because they aren't sexed the rest should be Pullets. How soon can I tell if they are roos? Eventually I only want 6-8 chics, I promised 8 of them to someone. Is there any way to tell who is going to mellow and get along?

My son was set on a buff polish, he named it funny already but I don't know if it was a bad idea to mix breeds. What do you think?

 

[ChickenToes]

You probably do not need a thermostat. It doesn't hurt to have one, but just pay attention to how the chicks are behaving. If they're crowded together under the light, they're too cold. If they avoid the area under the light and seem to be chirping a little loudly, they're too hot. My Black Australorps are about 3.5 weeks old, and I can tell some of them are roos - look out for large, brightly colored combs. It's ok to mix breeds, my Australorps and Araucanas get along just peachy. Also, at this age, I've begun to see which birds are aggressive and which are not. So, just give it a few weeks and you should start to get some answers.

 

[ChickenSoup82]

The chics slept all right next to eachother on the edge of the heatlamps cast and have enough room to move away from the heat. I did notice they are not chirping as loudly and high pitched as before and seem much happier. They are so Dang CUTE! I have been watching them like crazy, even the kids wanted to sleep down on the couch next to the brooder. So far all 22 of them are doing fine, I am so glad I didn't lose any. Thanks for your help.

 

[Davaroo]

As hard as it is for you, the best thing you can do is leave them alone. They need about 95 degrees for the first week, decreasing by 5 degrees per week after that.

They need fresh water ( a little beak dipping wont hurt them) and you can give them feed after the 2nd day.

What they dont need is a lot of fuss, noise, clamor and so on. Give the poor little dears a few days to rest up.

 

[Jazzymond573]

how do you decrease the temp? move the lamp up?

 

[crooked stripe]

That is how I did it. The only place I had to keep the brooder was in the sun room on a small table. It was real hard to control the temps. On rainy days and at night I had to lower the light. When the sun was shinning there where times I had to turn the light off. Avoid that situation if possible. Thanks to my remote digital thermometer it was easy to monitor the temps. Good luck and enjoy! John

 

[Davaroo]

I attach my heat lamps to dimmer cords. Then I just adjust it as I want it.
A cheaper way is to hang them so you can raise them.