Hi,
When I was raising three chicks in a brooder a couple weeks ago, the heat lamp seemed to keep them awake. They got so tired they would actually fall asleep standing up and end up falling over. I only had them under there a couple of days until my hen was ready to raise them. Does this happen to anyone else? I am raising one chick at the moment, about 1 week old give or take a day or two, and she doesn't seem to eat or drink unless I give it to her or make her. Besides chirping loudly since her mom is MIA, she seems to keep her wings down as if they are drooping. I started to give her water with quik chick (and starter of course)....is there anything else I should do? Thanks
Daniel

Daniel, When chicks sleep standing up, they are usually not quite warm enough and they are as close to the heat as they can get. On the other hand when they are a little too warm, they will flatten out, and even sleep with their neck stretched out or on their sides stretched out. So it is good that you gave them to the hen. Is your chick that is a week old, warm enough? Chirping (not cheeping) usually means problem eliminating poop and in distress. It is better to have the chick eat and drink by itself than force feed of water--often kills a newlyhatched to force water. Do you have the chick in a box that you can give a soft toy to snuggle up to, in a corner, for company? I use shoe boxes for my little ones and use a big paper clip to hold a mirror against the side in one corner. A crying chick, if not hungry, cold or too warm, needs company and often a lone chick will spend a lot of time talking to its relection, will eat right in front of the mirror and sleep there, too. Good luck, CJR

Hi,
The temp under the lamp is at approx 95 deg. (are red bulbs better than white? they seem to produce less light but same heat) the chick poops fine. I have a little towel in there with it, and i put it so she can go under it like it is a hen. When under anything (hand, shirt, towel) she quiets down. I'll check again about her box's conitions. Thanks for the reply and advice.