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

[DonnaFreak]

Chickens are constantly searching for new and novel ways to kill themselves, the good news is they are also amazingly resilient, so glad she's doing well! You are doing awesome!

Thank you! I needed to hear that! I did so much research before they got here, and thought I was prepared. Now if I had only known to prepare to regularly go into a panic.....

Donna

 

[chicken curious]

0.5-1.5 week old chicks left garage brooder and went into the coop tonight with the four 7 week olds. The nine littles are apparently very scary b/c the bigger chicks didn't want anything to do with them. It's hot and muggy tonight and after I insisted the bigs go in the coop with the scary littles (expecting severe thunderstorms overnight so no sleeping in the run as they 'planned') the bigs decided to abandon the huddle box and roost...I'm sure it's just a coincidence that it gets them farther from the chicks who're under their MHP

In the garage earlier today:

 

[jennyf]

Lost a three day old EE chick last night.

Found it in the middle under the MHP (not squished to the side or anything) and other 5 chicks seem to be doing fine. Washed off one mild pasty butt. The chick that died had a very tiny crust on butt. I love the MHP except I feel like I'm not getting a visual on them as much as when they were obligingly presenting themselves for 24/7 inspection while getting constantly baked by the nasty red heat lamp.

I have a sunbeam pad on High attached to the underside of a wire frame set on 2x4s. I'm guessing it's about 2-21/2 inches tall, lower at sides. They are ducking or crawling to get under it. They're underneath it most of the time, mostly quiet but some happy cheeps. Can't get a read on the temp which is making me paranoid. I know this stuff happens. They weren't shipped, I drove 2.5 hours to Cackle thinking I'd eliminate the stress of shipping. Heating pad lines the sides of the 2x4 supports too so they can snuggle up for more warmth on side if needed. Here's a picture--this chick is at the highest point of the setup. This is my third set of chicks and so far had only lost 1 of 16 day olds. They'd be doing lots of cheeping if they were cold, right?

 

[debid]

0.5-1.5 week old chicks left garage brooder and went into the coop tonight with the four 7 week olds. The nine littles are apparently very scary b/c the bigger chicks didn't want anything to do with them. It's hot and muggy tonight and after I insisted the bigs go in the coop with the scary littles (expecting severe thunderstorms overnight so no sleeping in the run as they 'planned') the bigs decided to abandon the huddle box and roost...I'm sure it's just a coincidence that it gets them farther from the chicks who're under their MHP

In the garage earlier today:

That's adorable but I'm very confused -- did you typo the age? That chick looks 1, maybe 2 weeks, definitely not 7.

 

[chicken curious]

The sleeping chick is 1.5 weeks and was on top of the MHP. I put her and the other littles (all ~1/2- 1 1-2 weeks old) into the coop yesterday and they joined the 7 week olds. The older chicks were/are scared of the little ones!

 

[Blooie]

Well, wish me luck. I'm opening the portal doors to the brooder today while I go out and do chores. That way I can keep an eye on things. Normally I don't even hesitate, but this batch of chicks has been anything but "usual" from the day they arrived and I'm sure they have a few more issues tucked under their little wings to spring on me.

 

[aart]

Well, wish me luck. I'm opening the portal doors to the brooder today while I go out and do chores. That way I can keep an eye on things. Normally I don't even hesitate, but this batch of chicks has been anything but "usual" from the day they arrived and I'm sure they have a few more issues tucked under their little wings to spring on me.

Good Luck!!
Take your camera out there.

 

[TeeMom]

Hello everyone! I am so thankful for this thread! Previous batches of chicks that we have raised have always been done under a heat lamp until this spring. We are trying our hands at ducks and I ordered 10 Welsh Harlequins from the Holderreads and they arrived (with 2 extra Golden Cascades) on Thursday morning. They immediately went out to the coop where their MHP was warm and waiting and after being placed under "her", they all settled in contentedly. Weather is dreary and a cool 40ish degrees, but they don't seem to mind! AND, I don't have to stress over whether the whole coop is going to burst into flames with those darn heat lamps!

One of the harlequins and the bigger cascade in front looking cozy!

Peeking out from behind...

 

[WRanch]

Sorry if this has been asked already and I missed it, but I'm wondering how many chicks will fit comfortably under the MHP? I have the Sunbeam XL 12" x 24" with the auto off as recommended. I am expecting 25 to be shipped this week... Temps are predicted to be 75-80 degrees during the day and in the mid 50's-low 60's overnight. These chicks will be shipped at 1 day old, so they may be 3 days old by the time I receive them.

If anyone can tell me if 1 MHP will work I'd really appreciate it.

thanks

 

[snow5164]

I'll tell you I just raised 20 chicks that did not all fit .I have the same heating pad as you do . I also have the small brinsea heater , I placed it at the opening of the heating pad to extend the warm space . I left a gap on the sides so they could escape and also made a back door opening in the heating pad cave.
I laid a small towel over the whole thing .


All survived and are thriving... now if 50% had not been roosters it could have been perfect