I was able to brood 22 chicks under a Sunbeam XL last spring.Thank you, Paganrose! Your post makes me feel better about using just one MHP for now instead of the two that I showed in my brooder (got some concern from folks on here about not enough open space). I'm getting in 21+ tomorrow or Wednesday and I think I will just keep an eye on them and make sure one MHP is enough for them. I feel like I need two feeders in there because I am gone to work 10+ hours a day and I would hate for them to run out! Also why I am trying the vertical nipple water system. I can fit two MHPs in the coop brooder easy, so hopefully they will be fine til then!
Sure did. And it was my flock. Unfortunately, I couldn't figure out which of 2 "look-a-like" gals it was. If I could have figured it out, she'd have been the evening's featured entree. The broody was one of my wimpy Doms, bottom of the pecking order, and one of the girls enjoyed separating her from her chicks just for the fun of it, but... I could never id which one it was.That actually happens in a coop and run situation???Never heard of hens THAT evil...if I had them, they'd soon be in a jar. Usually an older hen will only bother little ones if they are competing for food...mine don't even do much of it even then.
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Originally Posted by chickwhorides
Blooie thanks so much for being so detailed with your instructions. I set a heat pad over wire i.e. Mama heat pad style, but the heat temp only registered 89 at the highest. Once I turned off the light they all snuggled inside close together but I worried that 89 wasn't high enough. Is 95 an absolute, or is 89 close enough? I lost one chick yesterday but I don't know why- clear vent, clear eyes, it was active, and appeared to be sleeping. That's when I put the heat lamp back up. This is my first time ever with chicks, I brought home 6 from TSC. The heat lamp setup is giving me nightmares, but I'm worried about the heat pad being warm enough.
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I think that if the chick who died was cold, she would have been giving the distress chirp. Other chicks would have been distress chirping as well. I agree with other posters, that for some reason, some chicks just end up getting weak and die. The temp under my HP was 85* last spring, and it was plenty warm enough outside without any extra heat.