lethargic chick, can't keep head up, what am I doing wrong ?

[Wyorp Rock]

Cute little things!

How stable is the tote they are in? I agree, they are wobbly, but it's almost as if they are having a hard time navigating the "floor".

Does your poultry vitamin have Vitamin E, B1(Thiamine) and B2(Riboflavin)?

 

[Apolinne]

Cute little things!

How stable is the tote they are in? I agree, they are wobbly, but it's almost as if they are having a hard time navigating the "floor".

Does your poultry vitamin have Vitamin E, B1(Thiamine) and B2(Riboflavin)?

It's a hard plastic bin from Ikea and then there is a bed pad on the floor. I raised duckies like that, for the first two weeks, and they did fine. Should I give them wood shavings? They are so tiny, I feel like the'll drown Maybe hemp bedding ?
The poultry vitamin contains B1 and B2, D3, C, E, B6, B5, B7,B12 and some other amino-acids
Also to your other question - the opposite side of the brooder is 22 - 23°C

 

[thistlewick]

okay so why people use PAPER TOWELS for their floor is beyond me.

Sorry but not great. This is why you're having an issue with the brooder plate.

Get some pine shavings (thick ones) and that will help insulate the warmth from the brooder plate.

It's also just GENTLER on their legs and feet.

edit for some clarity;

I brood outside, in the hen house (walk in shed) with the door fully open all day long in the air of the day with a brooder plate with ZERO issues. Get some shavings.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

It's a hard plastic bin from Ikea and then there is a bed pad on the floor. I raised duckies like that, for the first two weeks, and they did fine. Should I give them wood shavings? They are so tiny, I feel like the'll drown Maybe hemp bedding ?
The poultry vitamin contains B1 and B2, D3, C, E, B6, B5, B7,B12 and some other amino-acids
Also to your other question - the opposite side of the brooder is 22 - 23°C

The vitamins sound good. Are they still improving?

Cool side of brooder temperature seems to be good too. They are coming out and eating/drinking in the video which is nice to see.
I love using puppy pads for the first week or two when I have chicks in a brooder, make for easy clean up and they are not slick.
I raise all mine outside regardless, but they still have a pad for at least the first week until I add shavings. Even when I raised many Quail, they started out on puppy pads outside.

I'd keep up with the vitamins. If you still have twisty neck in the one, then get some vitamin E (400IU) and get extra into her. They are SO tiny, you may have to prick the gel cap, squeeze a little oil onto a Qtip and give her a tiny drop at a time. Vitamin E especially is helpful for neck problems, but the B vitamins are complimentary to E so they are important too.

 

[Apolinne]

okay so why people use PAPER TOWELS for their floor is beyond me.

Sorry but not great. This is why you're having an issue with the brooder plate.

Get some pine shavings (thick ones) and that will help insulate the warmth from the brooder plate.

It's also just GENTLER on their legs and feet.

edit for some clarity;

I brood outside, in the hen house (walk in shed) with the door fully open all day long in the air of the day with a brooder plate with ZERO issues. Get some shavings.

View attachment 4096158

Well I don't use paper towels, but puppy pads, or bed pads, you know, like big cottony sheets, and I'm pretty sure I read it here somewhere, that it's good for easy clean up in the first weeks when there is just soooo much poop. Which it is. Didn't know it can be hard on their feetsies. Harder than if they were just in the nest with mom?

With the duckies I raised there was no problem with the heating plate other than they grew so fast and didn't fit under it after a week so I got the lamp for them instead. I switched off the brooder plate and then what they did is they stuck their heads under the lamp and their butts poked out. That was cute.

Anyway what I'm thinking is that squiggle was dehydrated and needed a bit of a boost since the chicks didn't drink much the first day, because they were scared to get out from under it. And squiggle its and was the smallest, so I guess it showed on her the most.
Anyway squiggle is improving steadily so all is well.
Also I wanted to say your cat is gorgeous and majestic. What breed is she/he ? Also major envy on the blue laced wyandotte. I need to get me some one day.

 

[Apolinne]

True, they might appreciate the opportunity to hunker down with a box hut, or somewhere to practice perching.

It’s possible squiggles was just missing a little vitamins from hatching and the new move. They seem like a skittish breed, but very neat! If they’re improving, it could be resolving, and I’m sure they’re well looked out for should it return with a vengeance. Good luck and I hope you can post updates as they get bigger!

I sure will! I saw their moms and dad and they were so cute. And this black beak, black comb variety is rare. Most people keep white Chabo Bantams, or speckled ones. And Chabos in general are suppose to be very friendly and personable. I can't wait for these to grow up.

The vitamins sound good. Are they still improving?

Cool side of brooder temperature seems to be good too. They are coming out and eating/drinking in the video which is nice to see.
I love using puppy pads for the first week or two when I have chicks in a brooder, make for easy clean up and they are not slick.
I raise all mine outside regardless, but they still have a pad for at least the first week until I add shavings. Even when I raised many Quail, they started out on puppy pads outside.

I'd keep up with the vitamins. If you still have twisty neck in the one, then get some vitamin E (400IU) and get extra into her. They are SO tiny, you may have to prick the gel cap, squeeze a little oil onto a Qtip and give her a tiny drop at a time. Vitamin E especially is helpful for neck problems, but the B vitamins are complimentary to E so they are important too.

I think the vitamins did the trick. Squiggle is much better, since this morning she holds her head high, like a healthy chick. She is the smallest, but she always was the smallest, so maybe that's just how she is. She's eating like nobody's business so she's not unwell like that. Maybe she's a girl and the other two are boys, pardon me, pullet and cockerels. Oh I feel so fancy and and in the know, when I say things like pullet and cockerel. Like I know what I'm doing.
I'll keep giving vitamins, and I'll go get some hemp bedding tomorrow just in case. Thank you so much everyone! I'll keep you updated

Ok but why do they look angry ? Looking at me like "Hey, lady, we're napping here, little privacy please."

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Glad to hear they are improving!

Keep us posted.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

So cute! More pictures please!

 

[ChookyChooks&Turklets2]

Awesome to hear! I’m so happy to see they’re doing better, and that Squiggle has improved so much

On the topic of paper towels, they can be hard on them because they aren’t as absorbent as shavings and can need changed frequently to prevent the ick, and they sometimes step in the poos and get it everywhere since it can’t get mixed in. More importantly, it’s frequently hard for day old birds to get good traction on them; it can get slick when wet too! It can cause splay leg, foot curling weirdness, and other mobility issues. I’ve even seen my 3 week olds straight up eat it when I used it for an emergency! I can’t imagine it’s good for them haha

Those are the big issues I can think of, but everyone does their thing the best they know, and it’s not a guarantee to have issues if you do use them for a time. Can’t wait to see more of the chickies!

 

[Apolinne]

Update time:
Chicks are doing well I think. I swapped the bed pads for some hemp bedding, an it smells really nice. The chicks really like to dig in it and toss it around and peck at it. The only thing that concerns me is that squiggles sneezes a lot. She would sneeze before here and there but now it's like every minute, sometimes more, not when she naps thought. I read some threads and for most of them it just resolved on it's own so I'm not panicking. Yet.
Also her back fluff is nowhere to be found. The other two as they grow their backs stay fluffy with the baby feathers but squiggles has like this bold patch where I can see the skin on her back and legs. Maybe it's nothing, I don't know, I was just wondering. I've read somewhere that it takes longer for roosters for their feathers to come in, but her wing and tail feather are coming in nicely.
Everyone is eating well, running around, chirping. One of the chicks is super chonky, the other two are about 3/4 as big
They are scared of my hand from when I had to was their butts twice, so I need to work on that, so they're not scared.
I'll take some pictures soon !