A wool hen - creating one today

[shortgrass]

Well, the lone little chick died  . Not sure if it's worth experimenting more. 

Aw, poor little guy; good thing it was a cockerel, but still...aw, I'm sorry for your loss.

That's what I was concerned about, and I don't have any small chicks to try it with right now, so I guess I can count your loss as my experience here.

I'm thinking about the movie "March if the Penguins"; they huddle together through -50 wind and snow for 4 months, on eggs... They can do it, but they're using that massive pile of body heat and feathers to stay insulated. So, when they ship chicks and they want a minimum order of say, 25, that's what's going on. They're cramming that box to the brim and leaving as little space as possible.


So that leads me to think, more chicks in a smaller space would have a better result, possibly?

 

[Mrs. K]

Your results makes me a bit nervous about trying this. At 4-5 weeks, they have to be getting some feathers on? I had so hoped to try this by the end of September. It was very warm here the whole month of October. Now we are all but in November. Could it have been too big of change from the heat lamp to without the headlamp? hmmm

When I put mine together, I stuck and held my hand in there, and was not too impressed. So I added a layer to the floor. I just took a lid and glued dow some of the wool pompoms. I did make mine pretty dense, I just hot glued them to the top and bottom. I did use 100% wool. When I stuck my hand in there, it immediately warmed up.

Alas, I have no chicks, so far. No notice from the company. If I don't hear tomorrow, I will contact them, but am pretty sure, then I am without until spring. Good grief.

Where do you go for directions on how to post a picture?

Mrs K

 

[donrae]

Could have been too much shift, I guess. It's a big ol red heat lamp, but it's also a big brooder and they have lots of space to get out from under it.

I'm not sure about the wool vs fleece. I've been looking for wool blankets or something at thrift shops but no go. So, I was at Joann's and bought some fleece. It seems warm and toasty to me, not sure how much better wool would be.

I think maybe more strips, and more chicks. I wish I had more sex links hatching out. Sounds harsh but I'm not near as worried about losing cockerels as little pullets, they're my money makers.

I was very surprised, I've got to say. I sure thought the birds would be hardier. They're decently feathered out, I wouldn't think they're that fragile. Well, back to the drawing board......maybe I'll start collecting eggs from the sex link pen and see what I come up with.

 

[aart]

Could have been too much shift, I guess. It's a big ol red heat lamp, but it's also a big brooder and they have lots of space to get out from under it.

I'm not sure about the wool vs fleece. I've been looking for wool blankets or something at thrift shops but no go. So, I was at Joann's and bought some fleece. It seems warm and toasty to me, not sure how much better wool would be.

I think maybe more strips, and more chicks. I wish I had more sex links hatching out. Sounds harsh but I'm not near as worried about losing cockerels as little pullets, they're my money makers.

I was very surprised, I've got to say. I sure thought the birds would be hardier. They're decently feathered out, I wouldn't think they're that fragile. Well, back to the drawing board......maybe I'll start collecting eggs from the sex link pen and see what I come up with.

I wonder if a lower 'ceiling' would help...and some insulation on the box?

I remember putting a bunch of chicks in a tote, I was checking them one by one and needed to separate as I did.
They were about 2-3 weeks old ....it got warm in there, but ambient temp was mild.

 

[aart]

Where do you go for directions on how to post a picture?

Mrs K

Are you on a laptop?
Do you know where the pic files are stored on your computer?

Click the mountain/sun icon on the reply commands to insert pic.
Choose 'upload files'.
Find the pic file you want to upload.

That's the short version, hope it helps....kind of hard to explain when I don't know your system and capabilities.

 

[Mrs. K]

Fiddlesticks, got the message yesterday, no new chicks this fall. Ugh! They had a low hatch rate and were unable to fulfill my order. Dang it, all set up for it.

Donrae - I wish you were much closer, I would dearly love some of those pullets, and you are right, I would pay for them.

Mrs K

 

[bobbi-j]

Fiddlesticks, got the message yesterday, no new chicks this fall. Ugh! They had a low hatch rate and were unable to fulfill my order. Dang it, all set up for it.

Donrae - I wish you were much closer, I would dearly love some of those pullets, and you are right, I would pay for them.

Mrs K

Drat!!!

 

[aart]

Bummer

 

[Mrs. K]

FINAALY I got the chicks. Picked them up this morning. Took them and a rubber maid tote to school. Kids loved them. I could not get the wooly broody hen set up so they would use it. Set up a heat lamp instead. Divided chicks with the school lunch lady. Came home.

Cleaned up the brooder, round one, thought how much I appreciate a good broody hen. Chick cheeped loudly most of the day, ate well, drank well. Tonight, I rolled up the the paper, added hay from my chicken yard, set up the wooly hen on top of the hay. Ruthlessly stuck chicks under there, remembering how I had seen broody hens give chicks a good poke to get them there. Within seconds, relaxation with less peeping, I shut the heat lamp off, quiet, an occasional peep. I have them in our attached garage, a solid 50 degrees if not more out there now.

I will check several times tonight. So fun to have chicks again! Love this hobby. I will let you know how it goes.

Mrs K

 

[azygous]

Photos pleez!