Mama Heating Pad in the Brooder (Picture Heavy) - UPDATE

[Beekissed]

Hey Bee; I would have liked to have done this right from the get go but their coop wasn't ready yet. Can you tell me the coldest temps you've brooded chicks at outside there in WV? I suspect we have similar weather. My next batch of chicks is due in mid June so no worry about temps then, lol but who knows for next year? Can you tell I'm a new chick mama?

. I love trusting GOD to take care of things. He does it so perfectly

The coldest was 20-30s at night, 30-40s in the day. They do just fine and fledge out quickly, adapting to the temps easily. It's in that setup that the HP mama really shines, as the chicks will duck under it to warm up just as they would with their own mama, but then they are back out running around and exploring their brooder, eating, drinking, etc.

Another neat thing about keeping them outdoors is that their mess is all outside, you can use a nipple waterer there and that helps with the mess, and they get exposed to the germs in the coop environment when it's the most important. I even brood mine now on the existing deep litter the flock has been using so they get the same exposure to germs that they would if they had a real mama. I never get coccidiosis here and I think it's a direct result of that early exposure.

Then my chicks are out of the brooder and ranging by 2-3 wks, eating with the flock and putting themselves to bed under the HP brooder each night until they no longer need it.

 

[azygous]

Bee, do you have a write-up somewhere on incubating eggs with the heating pad system?

I'd like an alternate to a broody hen in case I don't have one go hormonal this season.

 

[aart]

Bee, do you have a write-up somewhere on incubating eggs with the heating pad system?

I'd like an alternate to a broody hen in case I don't have one go hormonal this season.

Under Profile> Threads started...might be others?
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...ral-nest-incubation-experiment-1-so-it-begins

 

[Beekissed]

Bee, do you have a write-up somewhere on incubating eggs with the heating pad system?

I'd like an alternate to a broody hen in case I don't have one go hormonal this season.

Yep...the link that Aart gave you. Remember, the first of the experiment is not the last and things changed, so you'll have to do some reading to see how it all became a successful venture. Others have tried it but without the components I used and I don't think they were any too successful, so YMMV depending upon how much of your own spin you put on it. I'd do it again...I felt like it was a pretty trouble free and successful method once it was refined. If I can't get any broodies, I'll be using that method again myself.

 

[pinebarrens]

After I posted yesterday, I wanted to give a quick update. Of course our chicks were just fine. I did turn MHP down to Low heat and made it arch a little higher in the middle. They mostly seemed to like sitting on top of or beside it when they want to take a nap during the day, but when we started turning lights off last night everybody scooted right underneath. I know they were under a heat lamp at their breeder, so I'm pretty impressed at how quickly they adapted to this.

They are all looking great this morning. Here's Mittens:

 

[circlehouse]

I am going to be getting my babies in about a month, got my correct pad all ready, will be boosting in the coop. Question is: any suggestions of other threads to follow for more natural ways of raising the peeps? There are just so many threads!

 

[COChix]

I am going to be getting my babies in about a month, got my correct pad all ready, will be boosting in the coop. Question is: any suggestions of other threads to follow for more natural ways of raising the peeps? There are just so many threads!

I scribe to this thread, good group of people on there.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/729605/the-natural-chicken-keeping-thread-ots-welcome

 

[Blooie]

The coldest temps my outdoor babies have been in was 17 degrees, with 60 mph winds, sideways blowing snow, and a power outage of several hours. They did great at only a week old. The towel on top, plus the straw packed under, all around, and on top held enough residual heat to keep them safe. In fact they were more disturbed by a panicked pair of owners shining a flashlight in their cave at 4 am than they were the power outage!

Scout? Scout was different. He was outside, by his lonesome as a single chick in his heating pad cave and brooder, and it got down to -6. It was 4 below the day this photo and video were taken. He was also integrated with the Bigs by this time, and spent most of his time OUT of his brooder mingling and just running back it for a quick warmup or if the Bigs got a little pushy. NOT that I recommend this....I just had no alternative at this point.

 

[bruceha2000]

I would have loved to have kept them in a room with a window! Unfortunately, I also do cat rescue and they pretty much have the run of the rest of the house with my two dogs. I actually had to frame in for a door to close the little basement room off (used to be the coal room way back when). Just built the foundation and floor of my coop last week...hoping to add walls early next week. I really hope that future broods will take place in there.

I don't know what you have for lights in the brooder room but I would suggest the following:
- if you have multiple lights that can be turned on and off individually, turn off one, wait 5 or 10 minutes (just winging it here), then turn off another, and another. Turn the night light off last.
- if you don't have that, replace the switch with a dimmer (one appropriate for the type of bulbs you have) and do the same thing. Turn it down some, come back later, turn it down some more, etc

- reverse in the morning

I'm sorry if this has already been discussed but I was wondering if y'all find that the littles just naturally start going to bed in the big girls coop after they've been integrating for a while? If yes, roundabout what age does this usually happen? Or do you find that you have to move them out of the brooder yourself at some point?

My 7 from last June were broody raised. At 2 weeks she took them from the brooder to a nest box to sleep. The "lip" of the box is 2' high with an access perch at 18". They could already fly up 2' by then. At about 3 weeks some would visit their "Aunt" on the 4' high roost (with a parallel 2' high one) just before bedtime, then go back down to the nestbox with "mama" and the rest of their "sisters". Nearing 4 weeks some of those that visited started staying up on the roost so there was no Mama up there to keep them safe. They didn't seem to get much grief. When there were only 2 left in the box with "mama" the three of them vacated and all 16 chickens roosted on the 4' high roosts. Mostly the kids hung near mama, again no issues with the rest of the flock.

That changed when "mama" laid an egg and 100% forgot she had raised those chicks, wanted nothing to do with them in the coop or out. Before that food was not an issue because only the 2 hens "mama" trusted to be near the girls ever got anywhere near them. After "kick to the curb" day, the girls had to fend for themselves and several of the older girls WOULD chase them off their chosen roost place, then go settle down somewhere else and the little would return. But even my older girls have ALWAYS had to fuss at who slept where at roost time even though until last June they had never seen another chicken in the prior 3 years from the day they were shoved in a shipping box at the hatchery.

As far as food, the two 3 3/4 Y/O Cubalayas are again the smallest hens in the flock by far but one of them is a royal (insert alternate name for female mama dog here) chasing the younger birds away from scratch or BOSS even if I throw some right in front of her beak. Stupid bird. One day the big birds will tire of that and beat the feathers off her.

I FOR SURE do not understand the chicken brain.

 

[duluthralphie]

I actually kind of do what you suggested.

I have a small reading light I turn on for the babies when we turn the house lights off. I leave it on for the few minutes it takes me to get ready for bed. Then I turn it off. My idea is the small dim light is "dusk"....and they better get their cute fluffy butts to bed or they will be stuck outside in the dark....