Why are my chicks trying to drown themselves!

[JuliB]

I have 10day old chicks in a brooder on my back porch. Temp is electronically controlled to keep one corner the right temperature...
It’s sitting at 90.

Every night, for the last 3 nights, I find the chicks ALL huddled under a nipple drinker, absolutely soaked. All 12, huddled together, drenched. A different drinker every time. They’re fine all day. 8pm hits and they all decide its shower time.... The first night I freaked and dried everyone. Night 2 I let them dry themselves... now night 3 and I am just not amused. Should I take up the drinker at night?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Are they drinking from them? How big is your brooder? 90 degrees is a bit warm for 10 day old, lower it down closer to 80 degrees. They could be trying to get away from the heat. Can you share pictures of the set up?

 

[21hens-incharge]

Are you using a heating pad or plate?

It sounds to me like they really want to be UNDER something.

Maybe hang a feather duster so they can go under it....


Are they ten days old or ten chicks at a day old?

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Following.

 

[JuliB]

Are you using a heating pad or plate?

Ceramic heating bulb. It doesn’t emit light. There is a z-wave temperature sensor in the bedding to keep it precisely at 90.

It sounds to me like they really want to be UNDER something.

I thought of this as I was putting my son to bed. It’s always at sunset. Maybe instinct tells them to huddle under something, even if it’s cold and wet. Was thinking of putting a box in, but I can try the feather duster too.

Maybe hang a feather duster so they can go under it....


Are they ten days old or ten chicks at a day old?

12 chicks, 10 days old. They started this at 7 days old.

 

[21hens-incharge]

12 chicks, 10 days old. They started this at 7 days old.

With that clarification I agree with oldhen. To warm.

 

[JuliB]

Are they drinking from them? How big is your brooder? 90 degrees is a bit warm for 10 day old, lower it down closer to 80 degrees. They could be trying to get away from the heat. Can you share pictures of the set up?

They drink from them just fine, all day long, without trying to drown themselves. It’s 90 per all the instructions sent from hatchery, but only in one corner. Plenty of room to escape, and it is certainly hotter in general at midday, but they only “shower” at sunset.

 

[JuliB]

Brooder is about 2’6” x 3, heater is in one corner,. Plenty of room to escape the heat, but they only decide to shower at sunset. Thinking they want to get “under” something at sunset.

 

[slordaz]

I have 10day old chicks in a brooder on my back porch. Temp is electronically controlled to keep one corner the right temperature...
It’s sitting at 90.

Every night, for the last 3 nights, I find the chicks ALL huddled under a nipple drinker, absolutely soaked. All 12, huddled together, drenched. A different drinker every time. They’re fine all day. 8pm hits and they all decide its shower time.... The first night I freaked and dried everyone. Night 2 I let them dry themselves... now night 3 and I am just not amused. Should I take up the drinker at night?

my chicks at 10 days old were sleeping on a perch in the grow out pen, as long as we weren't below 40 they didn't have any heat or light at all so they were happy cause even at 2 days old and just a reg 60 bulb they were hiding from it as far as they could get

 

[slordaz]

Brooder is about 2’6” x 3, heater is in one corner,. Plenty of room to escape the heat, but they only decide to shower at sunset. Thinking they want to get “under” something at sunset.

Chickens usually want to get up on something not under it, do you have a cat or maybe a predator they are trying to hide from peeking at them?