When would you call chicks "out of the woods"?

[chickenmomma16]

At what age would you consider a chick to be hardy enough be out of immediate danger of dying? Lets just say for the sake of the poll that you have a tested and reliable setup.

 

[GodofPecking]

I don't think it should be a matter of opinion so much as a matter of fact.

It varies a little from chick to chick, however once they can stand up and eat and drink, they are good to grow. When there are 6 or more of them together in warm weather, they don't need any heater.

Cold weather is different, and like people, no chick wants to be alone.

 

[appps]

not really sure what you're asking. Dying of what? Natural causes? Dying if not heated properly? Dying from shipping stress? All those different things have different danger periods for the chicks so not sure there is a magic number.

I've never had a chick die of anything so for me they were out of the woods from birth

 

[Egghead_Jr]

I don't think it should be a matter of opinion so much as a matter of fact.

It varies a little from chick to chick, however once they can stand up and eat and drink, they are good to grow. When there are 6 or more of them together in warm weather, they don't need any heater.

Cold weather is different, and like people, no chick wants to be alone.

In complete agreement with "...once they can stand up and eat and drink...". This philosophy works with a plethora of conditions from assisted hatches to splayed leg to shipped chicks to...it's unlimited the cause but end result is always the same- once they can stand and feed themselves they are good to go.

 

[Ridgerunner]

For the vast majority of chicks I’d agree, when they are dried off, up and moving about. But there is a condition called “failed to thrive”. Before they hatch the chicks absorb the yolk. I’ve seen chicks with a broody not eat or drink for five days, living off that yolk. Some don’t last that long but four to five days is a good average.

Some chicks never learn to eat or drink, no matter what you do. Or maybe there is something wrong with them internally so they can’t use the water or food that they do drink or eat. Birth defects can happen. It’s rare, I’ve only seen this a couple of times in all my years. If a chick just dies around five days, I suspect failed to thrive.

One time I had a chick that about day 5 just stood in the brooder giving that plaintive chirp. Once you’ve heard that particular sound you will recognize something is wrong. I always dip each chick’s beak in the water when I put them in the brooder. Usually some will recognize where the water is and the rest learn from those. Not knowing what to do, I dipped that chick’s beak in the water again. It just stood there and drank a lot, had to be real thirsty. It failed to learn from the others but after I did that it did OK.

When they grew up one hen seemed particularly dumb. She kept getting into trouble. I think it was the same chick. I think her birth defect had to do with her basic instincts, not something physical.

Pasty butt can occur in young chicks. There are different opinions on what causes it but their vent gets plugged with dried poop. It can kill them if you don’t clean it out. They are most susceptible to this their first week or so. After that I just don’t see it. I don’t see it much anyway but it can happen.

So after they are active you are in really good shape but I’d say after five or six days you are really out of the woods. But you always need to be diligent. Watch them.