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

[circlehouse]

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

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

Thanks, looks like a great thread!

 

[circlehouse]

Good to know that they made the transition from heat lamp to HP without difficulty.  I was wondering how that was going for people.  

As PP stated, the Natural Chicken Keeping Thread is a good place to start.  Other things you can research:  natural methods of increasing immunity (early exposure to soil from your yard, fermented feed) natural control of parasites, both internal and external,  promoting natural Marek's immunity by exposure to native turkey populations, deep litter both in the coop and in the run, fermented feed, the many benefits of heating pad brooding, and early chick integration into the flock, using poultry for insect and weed control in the garden, obviously using chicken compost in garden and yard.  Read The Small-Scale Poultry Flock by Harvey Ussery.  Enjoy.  IMO, the education component of poultry keeping is as enjoyable as the chickens themselves.

Hey Bruce, I forget:  your chicks last year, were they hatchery birds fostered to a broody, or did you get hatching eggs?  

Thanks for all the suggestions! I am a little bit of a research addict.

 

[lazy gardener]

Thanks for all the suggestions! I am a little bit of a research addict.

It takes one to know one!

 

[TexasLisa]

I am somewhat disabled. I get about with a roll walker most times. So in my case the easier the better for building things. And LIGHTER the better. Handling a wheelbarrow is not in my skill set. but using my Rolling walker and dragging a wagon is.

My new coop (poultry house) will have a work space where I can build and utilize without having to cross the yard.

deb

Don't let Deb fool you. This is one smart lady. She can pretty much design/build anything she puts her mind to. In case you haven't noticed, she loves horses.

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote:
Thanks Lisa .... sketching is about all I do these days. this needs to change.

""a dream without a plan is just a wish"" Katherine Paterson

 

[ShanandGem]

I built kind of a modified MHP at one end of our new and improved brooder. It's just a Styrofoam cooler on its side with a heating pad lining it for a warm area Brooder still has a 250W bulb as well but is open at one end so they can access the entire coop if they want. After placing them in it I gave them a little wheat germ to get them in the cave (they LOVE wheat germ) and now they're all napping in it. No one has ventured out the open front door yet. When I stick my head in they will come over and have a little visit but then it's back to the warm zone.
I lost a chick very suddenly yesterday, over the course of seven hours. I am hoping this new brooder will offer bigger warm and cool zones and more air flow.

 

[jmdes]

Hello All, it is Day#20 for the incubator eggs, and I can hear a few peeps now, but I don't see any pips in the shells yet. I am hopefully optimistic. And.... pacing the floor already!

Jan

 

[10AcreChick]

I haven't posted much on this, but have been reading along. Just three more days until my chicks arrive (or two if the USPS is faster), and my brooder is all set up! I changed my caves a little after readings ya'lls adaptations. They are holding at 86 degrees on setting six.

I am kind of worried about whether the chicks will use the vertical nipples right away. Should I be?

Here is a pic:

More pics to come!

 

[ShrekDawg]

I haven't posted much on this, but have been reading along. Just three more days until my chicks arrive (or two if the USPS is faster), and my brooder is all set up! I changed my caves a little after readings ya'lls adaptations. They are holding at 86 degrees on setting six.

I am kind of worried about whether the chicks will use the vertical nipples right away. Should I be?

Here is a pic:

More pics to come!

IMO the vertical nipples are easier to learn than horizontal ones! Easier to press too. And I didn't switch mine over till last week (mine are 18 weeks old so basically adults) but mine picked it up in minutes and there were a couple slower ones pecking at the wrong part but they were very interested and eventually figured it out too. And that was with horizontal ones. So I think chicks should be able to! But you do have to tap it a few times so they see where the water comes from. Also some people put them on right away and others have an open water the first day or few days to be absolutely sure they're drinking/to dip their beaks in when they first get there so if you're worried you could always try that. Looks great though!! Wish I had set mine up in advance, they arrived earlier than expected and I wasn't at all prepared. Managed though. Out of curiosity, why the 2 pads?

 

[lazy gardener]

I built kind of a modified MHP at one end of our new and improved brooder. It's just a Styrofoam cooler on its side with a heating pad lining it for a warm area Brooder still has a 250W bulb as well but is open at one end so they can access the entire coop if they want. After placing them in it I gave them a little wheat germ to get them in the cave (they LOVE wheat germ) and now they're all napping in it. No one has ventured out the open front door yet. When I stick my head in they will come over and have a little visit but then it's back to the warm zone.
I lost a chick very suddenly yesterday, over the course of seven hours. I am hoping this new brooder will offer bigger warm and cool zones and more air flow.

Bare styrofoam? I'd be concerned about them eating it. They like styrofoam just about as much as they would like popcorn. How many chicks? Have you checked the temp in the cooler? I'd be concerned about both a heat lamp AND a heating pad in the same area.

I haven't posted much on this, but have been reading along. Just three more days until my chicks arrive (or two if the USPS is faster), and my brooder is all set up! I changed my caves a little after readings ya'lls adaptations. They are holding at 86 degrees on setting six.

I am kind of worried about whether the chicks will use the vertical nipples right away. Should I be?

Here is a pic:

More pics to come!

How many chicks are you putting in this brooder? Enough that you really need 2 HP? Again, it looks like the unheated space is not big enough.