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

[MesMama]

That's my plan, please note I haven't actually done it yet, will make sure the chicks know how to get in and out the little doors by acting like a big bad chicken.

What I do when integrating older birds......
......took down the partition wall when the olders were out in the run and the pop door shut so the newbies could browse around first for an hour or 2....
.....then open the pop door back up and let the fireworks begin.

That sounds like a good plan! I had a dream last night that we let the littles out and all 19 of them SCATTERED all over that one acre pasture and there was a hawk waiting :O It was a disaster and I woke up with my heart pounding! I wonder if I need to rig up a pen that limits how far they can all go for a few weeks, even the bigs...ugh I don't know. My hubby says to just open it up and let em go

 

[eagrbeavr]

This is hilarious.

I'm not an expert, but as long as they know how to get back to MHP to warm up and the run is secure enough to contain small chicks, I say go for it.

x2

 

[eagrbeavr]

azygous I dont recall if it was you or aart who have a cinder block in a chick playpen, but that seems to be a good size for a portal hole for someone who needs to just throw something together

 

[MesMama]

Oh and also-my hubby told me the portal is actually 4x6 so j must have read about your experience earlier in the thread and just forgot LOL! @aart

 

[eagrbeavr]

It's not pretty, but it works. The chicks safe spot in the coop. I love being able to find what I need with what scrap I have laying around, especially for something temporary.

 

[dreiman9]

Chicks coming this week, looking for final adjustment advice. Have 12x15 sunbeam pad wrapped in press and seal wrap and a layer of paper towel set to high heat. Thing holding it has he back edge about an inch off the ground and the front about 3 inches up. Paper towels over the wood chips for a day or 2. Little worried it won't be warm enough.

 

[Coop de Grass]

It's not pretty, but it works. The chicks safe spot in the coop. I love being able to find what I need with what scrap I have laying around, especially for something temporary.

What a great idea! I have a couple of scraps of lattice sitting against the side of the run! This is the simplest thing that I've seen to create a "safe zone" for chicks!

 

[COChix]

It's not pretty, but it works. The chicks safe spot in the coop. I love being able to find what I need with what scrap I have laying around, especially for something temporary.

Looks good. Funny, I did something similar today. Love the versatility that the MHP brings to setting up. A brood space. You are only limited by your own creativity. Here is what I did. So the snow was sagging the wc in the run and this am I scooped the snow off the roof. However, the run is a muddy mess already, their brooder was damp and I thought scooping the snow was just a temp solution. What if we had a ton of rain? So I decided to scrap the kennel in the uncovered run and made a brooder in the coop, under the roosts and poop boards on one side. I then rounded up the Three Amigos and put them into the coop. They seemed pretty happy with their new digs.

Moved them to the east side of coop, this side has a second door that I will be using to allow them access to the run, but not allowing the adults to fit into their area, will make a type of portal. Also have their food and water behind the door so I can easily water and feed them, while they are in the coop. Will keep them locked in their new space for a few days before opening their world to the run.

Went and checked everyone a few ago, all the adults were roosting as normal and the chicks where in their cave and temp was a bit low. Had to change towel to hang down more to hold in the heat. Feel less worried about them being wet that is for sure.

 

[aart]

My first chick respite, spring of 2014, with huddle box and creep 'door'.
I later removed the crate door and changed access opening and feeder.
These chicks were about 6 weeks apart in age.
By the time the littles 'outgrew' the crate they were integrated with the olders.




This years chicks.... I found lounging on the roost and board yesterday afternoon.
Some have finally figured out the HN's...I took the VN away yesterday...so HN's the only choice.

 

[GardenNut]

Girls did fine their first night in their big girl coop, but boy were they ready to come out! They literally flew out one at a time when I opened the door. Running around chasing flying insects this morning like "chickens with their heads cut off!" Must be a lot of things flying around early in the morning. I'm anxious to see how difficult they'll be to put in the coop tonight. "Chick rodeo" to quote our friend @aart, if I recall correctly!