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

[rutonski]

Thank you so much for the info. That was a great article on introducing chicks to the flock. We'll give that a try!!

 

[Molpet]

Big blow today. Left town yesterday to get Ken down to Rawlins, and came home today to 5 dead Silkies. I'm just sick. Katie checked them earlier and they were all fine. Out of the 17 I got, 10 of them were visibly smaller than the others...very obvious differences. They are the ones I've been losing. I don't know if the long 4 days in shipping was more than they could handle at their tiny size and they just couldn't rally or what. No pasty butt, none of them trapped anywhere, heating pad nice and warm, no power outages, plenty of food and water...I just don't know. Of all the chicks I've raised, I've never had this happen before. I hope the other super tiny ones will be okay. Everyone got Nutri-drench when I got them home. and everyone got a drink of water. They've been eating, running in and of MHP, and the latest ones died between 2 this afternoon and 7:30 tonight. <sigh>

so sorry Blooie .. USPS is not what it used to be

 

[Mysterious]

Big blow today. Left town yesterday to get Ken down to Rawlins, and came home today to 5 dead Silkies. I'm just sick. Katie checked them earlier and they were all fine. Out of the 17 I got, 10 of them were visibly smaller than the others...very obvious differences. They are the ones I've been losing. I don't know if the long 4 days in shipping was more than they could handle at their tiny size and they just couldn't rally or what. No pasty butt, none of them trapped anywhere, heating pad nice and warm, no power outages, plenty of food and water...I just don't know. Of all the chicks I've raised, I've never had this happen before. I hope the other super tiny ones will be okay. Everyone got Nutri-drench when I got them home. and everyone got a drink of water. They've been eating, running in and of MHP, and the latest ones died between 2 this afternoon and 7:30 tonight. <sigh>

One time I ordered 5 guineas from cackle, we got 6 but in 5 days, 5 of them died, we had proper heat, and everything was set up, the one that didn't die is still alive and is very healthy.

 

[casportpony]

Big blow today. Left town yesterday to get Ken down to Rawlins, and came home today to 5 dead Silkies. I'm just sick. Katie checked them earlier and they were all fine. Out of the 17 I got, 10 of them were visibly smaller than the others...very obvious differences. They are the ones I've been losing. I don't know if the long 4 days in shipping was more than they could handle at their tiny size and they just couldn't rally or what. No pasty butt, none of them trapped anywhere, heating pad nice and warm, no power outages, plenty of food and water...I just don't know. Of all the chicks I've raised, I've never had this happen before. I hope the other super tiny ones will be okay. Everyone got Nutri-drench when I got them home. and everyone got a drink of water. They've been eating, running in and of MHP, and the latest ones died between 2 this afternoon and 7:30 tonight. <sigh>

So sorry for your loss.

 

[Merrymouse]

I have never seen anything like this in all the batches of chicks I've raised. Lost another one, again one of the tiny ones. I guess it goes without saying that this batch will not be going outside to live for a while yet. As much as I hate raising chicks indoors, I hate seeing them die even more. I am confident enough in MHP and the way I raised Silkies in the past that it's not something I'm doing wrong. But I'd be lying if I said I'm not questioning and re-hashing every single thing, too.

Katie was, well, Katie.

At first she cried a little. When I put my arms around her she hugged me back, hard. I told her how sorry I am that this group just isn't doing well, and I told her I just don't know what's going on.

She said, "Well, Gramma, you didn't do it. You didn't step on them, did you? No, you didn't. You didn't turn off the heating pad did you? No. You didn't forget to feed and water them, did you? No. You gave them Nutri-stuff, didn't you? Yes. You told me that sometimes chicks even die when their real mom is taking care of them. So you have to do what she does when some chicks die. You have to just keep taking care of the ones you have left."

Have I ever mentioned how much I love that little girl?

She sounds like a wonderful and smart little girl. Sometimes even young children are so full of wisdom we overlook. Their minds are not as cluttered with worry, or lists, or plans, they are mostly just present and can see things more clearly than adults sometimes. My youngest daughter does this all the time with me, I'll be all stressed about something and she just simplifies it and comes up with a perfect solution.

ETA: Hang in there Blooie

 

[chickieschicks]

What are everyone's recommendations for best waterers? I'm about to lose my mind over the number of times I refill my chick's water every day bc of the amount of pine shavings it gets caked with. And I'm starting to be concerned they may not be getting enough water because of it. I'm thinking of possibly switching to sand in the brooder. They launch the shavings off if the MHP all day, it's their favorite thing to do! I've only got 4 chicks and they're about 3 1/2 weeks old.

 

[csneill]

I have never seen anything like this in all the batches of chicks I've raised.  Lost another one, again one of the tiny ones.  I guess it goes without saying that this batch will not be going outside to live for a while yet.  As much as I hate raising chicks indoors, I hate seeing them die even more.  I am confident enough in MHP and the way I raised Silkies in the past that it's not something I'm doing wrong.  But I'd be lying if I said I'm not questioning and re-hashing every single thing, too.

Katie was, well, Katie.   At first she cried a little.  When I put my arms around her she hugged me back, hard.  I told her how sorry I am that this group just isn't doing well, and I told her I just don't know what's going on.

She said, "Well, Gramma, you didn't do it.  You didn't step on them, did you?  No, you didn't.  You didn't turn off the heating pad did you?  No.  You didn't forget to feed and water them, did you? No.  You gave them Nutri-stuff, didn't you?  Yes.  You told me that sometimes chicks even die when their real mom is taking care of them.  So you have to do what she does when some chicks die.  You have to just keep taking care of the ones you have left."

Have I ever mentioned how much I love that little girl?

What a sweet sweet girl you have there. Out of the mouths of babes...

 

[csneill]

I just gave my 3 & 4 week old chicks & 2 ducklings the boot out to the grow out pen and out of my garage brooder. They've been spending their days out in the chicken tractor this past week. It's supposed to be rainy some this week so I had to decide if they'd be better in the garage unhappy or better outside (w good shelter). I'm going w the latter & they're feathered out pretty well it's just nerve wracking sending them outside the first time- even tho I've done this all before! And I'm sure the ducklings won't mind the weather one bit but they just had to get out of my garage! So messy.

 

[Merrymouse]

What are everyone's recommendations for best waterers? I'm about to lose my mind over the number of times I refill my chick's water every day bc of the amount of pine shavings it gets caked with. And I'm starting to be concerned they may not be getting enough water because of it. I'm thinking of possibly switching to sand in the brooder. They launch the shavings off if the MHP all day, it's their favorite thing to do! I've only got 4 chicks and they're about 3 1/2 weeks old.

Nipple waterers, clean water and no wet bedding. Its a little nerve wracking at first making sure all of the chicks now how to use them. I just took the regular waterer out and showed them the nipple waterer. I then watched them carefully for about 3 hours, some chicks took right to it some took way longer. I would on occasion put the regular waterer in just to make sure the ones who werent using it took some long drinks and then I took it right back out. They all eventually use it. Do it when you have time to watch them. I love it.

 

[chickieschicks]

Thanks @merrymouse! I actually wanted to use a nipple waterer from the start but I couldn't come across one that I thought would fit and work well in the brooder, do you have a link for one?