If you have a light on 24/7 they will often sleep during the day because they have no concept of day/night without the light and dark signaling them. Even with the red bulbs I noticed my batches were sleepier during daytime hours with the constant light. I now use a brooder plate and turn a light on during the day, but on the days I forget to turn the light off at night the chicks are noticeably more sleepy during normal daytime hours.
Thanks! I can try sugar water.
That's interesting. But that doesn't really explain why these particular chicks are so sleepy. I've used the same heat lamp, the same brooder, in the same room for all of my other chicks in the past 16 years and they were much more active.
It technically could because the red light does still cause the absence of awareness of day/night. Your other batches may have been on the same wake/sleep schedule as you while this batch is reversed because that is how their circadian rhythm is cycling. There are actually studies done on how 24/7 hours of red light will disrupt an animals circadian rhythm. If you have several batches and a light on 24/7 eventually you will have at least one batch that is reversed sleep cycle. Here was a study done on rats and how having a red light on 24/7 disrupted their circadian rhythm affecting their melatonin and hormones levels which in turn changed their sleeping schedules.
Hmm...you might be right. It is now 10PM and I just watched them for a while. They were up and active for 20 minutes. I also gave them a perch to hop onto and they spent a lot of time inspecting it. Thanks! I am just relieved to know they likely aren't sick.
