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

[Fire Ant Farm]

That's what I should have done, would have been friendlier. Next batch.

I did discover the other day though that one of them will tolerate or even like sitting on me. She was settled down on the ground so picked her up as is and at first she protested just a bit (I usually football them and while some eventually settle none LIKE it) so then I thought "she approachs me/Orps seem friendly so maybe she just doesn't like being HELD (restrained)!" So I tried putting her on my leg and sure enough she settled right down above my knee (I was squatting down) and stayed a while till I either had to get up or she decided to,leave, can't really remember. I just found it so interesting because they act like they hate me but then not being RESTRAINED or FORCED to be there seemed to make all the difference. Of course, the rest still pretend to hate me unless I have food but the Orps are pretty sociable, even if they don't like to be touched much

Just like cats. Really. I find that my years of owning cats has really set me up nicely for understanding my chickens.

- Ant Farm

 

[henless]

Thanks, @henless ! I hadn't yet taken the time to find the page where you talked about it, so I sure appreciate you jumping in and providing that link. I did mis-speak about the 2 hour shutoff, but as long as the pad doesn't got off it's all good, right?

That's easy to do since most of the heating pads do have a 2 hour shut off. This pad is like the energizer bunny, it keeps going & going & going & going! LOL

I have the heating pad saved to my favorites in case I need to buy another one, so easy for me to pull up.

 

[Traceaskew]

Nervous Nellie question: the chicks have been in my garage with MHP during the day for the last couple of days. They seem to be doing great. I'm contemplating leaving them in there tonight. It's not quite as cold today. I turned the garage light off and I thought they'd go under MHP but when I checked on them, they're piled on top of each other on top of MHP. If they were too cold, they'd go under it, wouldn't they? I also put a bunch more shavings in and piled them on top and around MHP, so maybe they just like to snuggle down into the bedding?

 

[lazy gardener]

Hi Traceaskew!!! Here's my ? to you. How old are they? If they are less than 3 weeks old, I'd stuff them under the pad, and hold my hand over the front for a bit till they settled, in the dark. If they then choose to come out, maybe they don't need the heat. But, sometimes, they need a bit of persuasion. BTW, what's the temp in your garage? How many chicks??

 

[Traceaskew]

Hi Traceaskew!!!    Here's my ? to you.  How old are they?  If they are less than 3 weeks old, I'd stuff them under the pad, and hold my hand over the front for a bit till they settled, in the dark.  If they then choose to come out, maybe they don't need the heat.  But, sometimes, they need a bit of persuasion.  BTW, what's the temp in your garage?  How many chicks??

They are just 3 weeks old. I don't have a thermometer to say exactly how cold the garage is. It's attached to my house on 3 sides. It's currently 37 outside and calling for it to get down to 30 tonight. They've been out there since this morning and I don't think I saw them under MHP all day. They've been either sitting on top or walking around, eating, etc.

 

[aart]

Quote: Does it need to be raised up higher now that they are bigger?
Do they all fit underneath now that they are bigger?

 

[Traceaskew]

Does it need to be raised up higher now that they are bigger?
Do they all fit underneath now that they are bigger?

My husband asked me that...when I shoo them in there, they can go. Should it be high enough that they don't have to duck down? As it is now, they can't really stand under it.

 

[aart]

Quote: Ehhh...no, not standing all the way up as they like to almost touch their backs to the pad when sitting.
But if they are huddled together on top of pad and not distress cheeping they are probably fine..and yes if they fit under they would go under if they were cold.

 

[Traceaskew]

Ehhh...no, not standing all the way up as they like to almost touch their backs to the pad when sitting.
But if they are huddled together on top of pad and not distress cheeping they are probably fine..and yes if they fit under they would go under if they were cold.

Ok thanks! They're huddled on top, very quietly chirping.

I'm scared, but I know I need to let them be chickens. I'll prob get up tonight and check on them a couple times!

 

[aart]

Quote: They're telling each other stories before drifting off to sleep, about how nice it is to be out of the hot house ;-)