Wool hen or wool and feather hen build

[saysfaa]

The most adventurous are just starting to check out the new stuff. They now hide behind the wool hen instead of in it when something scarey comes down from above (another reason I want them out asap... I hate having to come from above them). They hid in it until late yesterday when I made a mistake. They were all in the hen when I came to clean their box, on impulse I closed the wool hen while I cleaned. I think it scared them. Especially the part where the lamp dropped on the box. It wasn't a fire hazzard, the unstable lamp is a small light therapy box light that doesn't get warm.

I didn't need to lock them in, they thoroughly enjoy the cleaning process, as long as I don't knock the lamp down, they just get so much in the way.

Last night, they were settling down in a pile behind the wool hen. I moved them into the hen and they stayed there for the night. We'll see if they will go in it today.

The picture shows the back end of the box. The white thing on top is a gel heating/cooling pack. I warmed that up instead of some of the water bottles lately. Yesterday and today it isn't heated, it is still there to cover the loops in the wool strips. The strawberry jam is the right height to support the roof as the brooder box isn't the sturdiest of boxes. They like to fly on and off it.

 

[saysfaa]

Ok, the chirpidees are moved out for the day. It took most of the afternoon to build the space and clean the garage enough to put it in the back corner near the window. So I got the bigger, warmer wool hen only half built. They played out here for a couple hours then moved back to the basement for the night. Nights are still in the twenties here.

I lost one on the way out today. Like, literally lost her, she jumped out of the box and hid between the storage boxes in the basement. Thankfully, once I found her again, she was happy to step onto my hand and get a lift back to her sisters.

I had to whistle (first time they heard that) to get a picture with their heads up. They are intent on the crumble they scratched out their yesterday.

 

[Crazy Maizie]

What breeds of chickies do you have?

 

[saysfaa]

Mostly Black Australorps, also 3 Brown Leghorns.

 

[saysfaa]

They stayed in the garage last night. I worried but they seem to be fine. Temperature was in the mid 40s most of the night, low of about 40 but it didn't stay there. It is a detached garage so the house doesn't buffer the temperature.

I put a feather blanket in a couple of plastic garbage bags and that covered the top and one side. I don't know if it helped. And a piece of thin closed cell insulation board. It isn't the styrofoam kind, it is flexible - it is what hikers buy to put under their sleeping bags when they buy from builder stores instead of hiking stores. And a thick piece of felted wool sweater on top of the foam piece and under a puppy pad. Plus the box with inch wide wool strips hanging ceiling to floor every inch or two.

They were settling in as the sun when down. They seemed happy. When I checked a couple of hours later, they were quiet. But I worried, so I heated the gel pack up and slide it between the foam and the wool.

A couple of hours later, they were quiet and the gel pack was still a little warm. At 3:30, they were twittering (not distress peeping), Their bodies felt normally warm except their feet. I panicked a little (because they were twittering- don't they stay quiet all night as long as it stays dark? So they must be very cold if it woke them up??? Maybe, I wish I had had chickens before so had a better idea how they sleep. Anyway, I reheated the gel pack and two water bottles.

Then I slept better, lol. At 8:30, they were cuddled together (not piled, though), in the leaves. I heated their gel pack, and moved them on top of it in front of the wool hen box. Only two didn't immediately run (or sometimes walk) off it. When I came back with their cleaned water bottle, they were all eating breakfast. Everyone seems bright -eyed and bushy-tailed, no signs of illness or distress.

I think they did far better than I did. I need confidence pretty soon that it is working well. I want them to survive but also to be happy and not stressed. I also can't fuss with the system this much for much longer... it is getting too far into planting season.

Oh, and do chickens normally twitter in their sleep at night? Or was that really a sign they weren't warm enough?

 

[Chicalina]

Wow I'd never heard of a wool hen until now. Amazing!

 

[Crazy Maizie]

They stayed in the garage last night. I worried but they seem to be fine. Temperature was in the mid 40s most of the night, low of about 40 but it didn't stay there. It is a detached garage so the house doesn't buffer the temperature.

I put a feather blanket in a couple of plastic garbage bags and that covered the top and one side. I don't know if it helped. And a piece of thin closed cell insulation board. It isn't the styrofoam kind, it is flexible - it is what hikers buy to put under their sleeping bags when they buy from builder stores instead of hiking stores. And a thick piece of felted wool sweater on top of the foam piece and under a puppy pad. Plus the box with inch wide wool strips hanging ceiling to floor every inch or two.

They were settling in as the sun when down. They seemed happy. When I checked a couple of hours later, they were quiet. But I worried, so I heated the gel pack up and slide it between the foam and the wool.

A couple of hours later, they were quiet and the gel pack was still a little warm. At 3:30, they were twittering (not distress peeping), Their bodies felt normally warm except their feet. I panicked a little (because they were twittering- don't they stay quiet all night as long as it stays dark? So they must be very cold if it woke them up??? Maybe, I wish I had had chickens before so had a better idea how they sleep. Anyway, I reheated the gel pack and two water bottles.

Then I slept better, lol. At 8:30, they were cuddled together (not piled, though), in the leaves. I heated their gel pack, and moved them on top of it in front of the wool hen box. Only two didn't immediately run (or sometimes walk) off it. When I came back with their cleaned water bottle, they were all eating breakfast. Everyone seems bright -eyed and bushy-tailed, no signs of illness or distress.

I think they did far better than I did. I need confidence pretty soon that it is working well. I want them to survive but also to be happy and not stressed. I also can't fuss with the system this much for much longer... it is getting too far into planting season.

Oh, and do chickens normally twitter in their sleep at night? Or was that really a sign they weren't warm enough?

First, what is a feather blanket?

Second, I'm pretty impressed that for your first attempt with chickens you decided to brood chicks with a wool hen!

I always thought that chickens slept all night, but that is false. They roost to keep securely away from predators due to the fact that they have bad night vision. I've seen many night cameras set up where you can clearly see that the chickens are awake.
As far as the sounds, I have heard my full grown chickens make a quiet trill sound at night. Also, if I check on them and fully open the coop door they will chat back at me quietly. Well, 1 or 2 will chat as those are my daytime talkers. Roosters even crow at night. It won't always be a full crow, but the crack of dawn starts earlier than we think and roosters will surely let you know.
So, with that said, if the chickies felt comfortable enough they might make quiet peeps.

 

[saysfaa]

A feather blanket is literally a blanket filled with feathers. It is sort of like a down coat but flat and bigger. JCPenney sells them, if you search there you can see some. Down alternative might come up first but scrolling will get to it. I get most of mine from estate sales, though, or resale shops.

I did feel over my head last night but I'm highly motivated to find a nonelectric, nonbroody hen, and non-open flame way to keep them warm.

Thank you very much for the explanation of chickens at night. It is very helpful!

 

[saysfaa]

I only used the feather blanket one night. The next couple of nights, I used a couple more old wool sweaters that I bought years ago from resale store. They were partially felted when I got them. I like them much better because I could tuck them around the box better. To be fair, the feather blanket could do that if I was willing to cut them and/or risk them getting dirty. I'll keep it in might if I ever brood chicks when it is really cold.

I put two or three layers of the thickest on top of the closed cell foam and under the wool hen box. In hindsight, I think that and the hanging strips are all it needed but I worried about them so had some on top and some hanging down the back and one side. It would have needed fewer layers under it is it hadn't been on the cement garage floor with no litter under it. I put puppy pads over the wool sweaters to keep them clean.

As they get older and the nights get warmer, I give them fewer sweaters. Last night, they didn't have any. I checked them a couple of times, and they were quiet.

They gradually did more napping on their leaf pile litter and less going in the wool hen to nap. They still go in at night but I don't think they will much longer, they are also spreading out to nap.

The picture is the beginning of settling down for a nap yesterday.

 

[Crazy Maizie]

They look very content!