How long should chicks sleep?

[Manderlee]

My 6 chicks I brought home on Sunday seem to play for hours then sleep for a little while. Do they sleep all night like the grown up Hens? One had pasting, but warm water and a piece of flannel got it off. Now she doesn't seem to have a problem. When the chicks are awake, if I leave the room, after about 5 minutes they start to peep really loud. I can hear them with the door closed and 2 rooms away. When I go check on them, they seem fine. Maybe they're spoiled & want to see me constantly? & I have no idea what breed they are. I got them from Tractor supply and they just said they're Pullets. I picked the cute little brown ones with black only on their feathers.

 

[dldolan]

Chicks will sleep as much as they need to! Don't worry. If they are too loud at night, try a red brooder light instead of white at night. I find that encourages them to sleep at night a bit better.

 

[Fierlin1182]

I honestly don't think that chicks sleep all night. When I first got them, I was doubtful that they slept at all! They would be cheeping all night long in their brooder. (But make sure they aren't cheeping loudly and constantly... that might mean they're cold.) As for the being noisy when you're out of the room, they probably just do enjoy the attention. The little buggers did that to me as well.

Anyhow, sounds like you're doing okay! I hope you have many more enjoyable moments with them.

 

[mrstillery09]

I was very surprised when I got my chicks that they didn't sleep more! Most baby animals play hard, but then sleep for quite awhile as well. Mine seem to nap every so often but since having them they have never slept through the night, and they are almost 3 weeks old now.

 

[92Pony]

Mine play, eat, nap, eat, nap, eat, play, nap, eat, nap...oh yeah, and poop!

For the first week, my latest hatchees were inside, closer to my kids' rooms. They said they would hear them occasionally during the night peeping and scuffling around, so they don't sleep all night - at least mine don't. They do have frequent narcoleptic fits during the day.

They are SOOO cute the way they sleep; bodies flattened out, face-planted onto the brooder floor.

 

[ButchGood]

Mine play, eat, nap, eat, nap, eat, play, nap, eat, nap...oh yeah, and poop!

For the first week, my latest hatchees were inside, closer to my kids' rooms. They said they would hear them occasionally during the night peeping and scuffling around, so they don't sleep all night - at least mine don't. They do have frequent nacoleptic fits during the day.

They are SOOO cute the way they sleep; bodies flattened out, face-planted onto the brooder floor.

In a five minute span Ill see that exact cycle eat,play, nap, eat,play, nap and poop in between. And the way they sleep, I thought some had died, scared me to death, Laying flat necks all stretched out, head buried in the floor. Great fun!

 

[MommaK6]

My babies go back and forth between playing...they run run run and CRASH....they are laying down passed out for 10-20 minutes. Then they are up, they drink, eat and play again. The cycle goes around and around. At night, however, they all huddle together in the corner and are silent for a looong time....at least an hour. What they do from that point is anyone's guess because I'm zonked out as well. My husband wakes up around 3am, leaves for work at 4am and they are all up by then but will settle back in for a "nap". They are about a week old.

 

[Darryl508]

my new baby chicks just got them this morning.

 

[aoxa]

Now that my chicks are older, I see them sleeping for longer periods. They are two weeks old. I find they sleep a lot at night, but maybe I am just a really sound sleeper!

When they are new, they sleep for minutes before getting back to eating/drinking/playing. I think that the older ones can stay full longer, so they sleep longer. I really don't know for sure though

 

[Manderlee]

These are my chickies roosting. They seem to be sleeping for longer periods now. They are so adorable.