Chicks got wet in a storm...

[Brillig]

So, my chicks are about ten days old and they were outside in a pen the was half covered...We got a thunderstorm out of nowhere (first rain in weeks) and, for some reason, instead of running from the rain to the sheltered area, they all just stood in a corner getting soaked...They are now huddled together, but they are not under the brooding light...Not sure if I should dry them or just leave 'em be...The ambient temp is about 78 degrees, but they are outside and it will start to drop fairly quickly...

 

[Choco Maran]

Dry them off as much as possible and place them under the heat lamp. Hopefully they will recover.

 

[Brillig]

They have no desire to be under the heat lamp...I'm guessing they know what's best, although not sure why they weren't smart enough to try to escape the rain...

 

[azjustin]

They have no desire to be under the heat lamp...I'm guessing they know what's best, although not sure why they weren't smart enough to try to escape the rain...

At 10 days old they would still be under their mother's care, who would shoo them out of the rain and keep them warm. Sounds like that's now your responsibility

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In other words: no, they don't know what's best for them. You will need to help.

 

[crash0330]

At 10 days old they would still be under their mother's care, who would shoo them out of the rain and keep them warm. Sounds like that's now your responsibility

.

In other words: no, they don't know what's best for them. You will need to help.

I agree, they are way to young sometimes to know what they should do in a situation like that, their instincts helps them a lot, but a lot of things are also things that momma hen would have taught them. Take her out f the equation and you got chicks who don't know what to do when they have probably never seen rain before.