A wool hen - creating one today

[Mrs. K]

ok, some questions! How much space per chick? Is there a rule of thumb?

I am getting 25 chicks, am a bit worried that they could get trapped and smothered under a single the wool hen, if I made the wool hen real big.

Let me explain my thinking, and I would love some imput and ideas:

• A good size broody hen = 9x9 to 12 x12? agree or disagree?
• One hen generally covers 12-15 chicks?
• so I should have two wooly hens, maybe 10 x 10
• With a broody hen, the chicks can get out all around the hen.
• The directions I found said to make the wool strands about 5 inches long, and hang till just slightly above bedding
• My broody hens have always raised chicks on hay, I have hay for bedding, so that is what I would like to use.
• As with all chickens, I think ventilation will be an issue, needs to have enough ventilation over head
• What I am thinking now, a cheap styrofoam cooler upside down with holes in the top (bottom of cooler) this cooler would be placed on blocks about 2 inches off the ground.
• Inside the cooler, I am thinking of placing a wooden platform, so that the chicks would go under the styrofoam and up onto the platform, to keep a draft off of them
• The platform would be smaller than the dimensions of the cooler
• The wool string pompom would hang down to the platform
• I think I will glue the styrofoam cooler to the supporting blocks to give it more weight and stability

Any notions, advice or comments, please!
Mrs K

 

[aart]

I have no clue about this concept.....don't think I've ever heard of it.
I'd think you'd want the floor space to be big enough they could all sit side by side without piling,
and some extra room around the edge that is sheltered from any drafts.

Don't understand the "wool string pompom"......make sure its nothing they could get tangled in.

 

[lazy gardener]

I think Kassaundra made a wool hen of sorts a year or two ago by using a 5 gal bucket cut in half vertically, so it was an upside down U. She drilled holes through the apex of the contraption, and fed her fleece strips through the holes, with knots to keep them in place. I think you would want to make a single wool hen big enough to provide the entire group with coverage, enough room so that they don't trample each other in a pig pile in the middle. That would be my chief concern. I think you'd be wise to keep them in the garage for the first week, or even in the house for a couple of days, to see how the system works for them. Newly hatched chicks are similar to new born people: can't generate enough heat initially to maintain their own systems. I think I'd want to have exit options on at least 2 sides, in case some of them get stuck in the middle. More options for escape. If you made 2 WH, I'd be concerned that they all would try to pig pile under one, leaving the second one vacant. I think that one member had that issue when he provided 2 MHP to service a large brood of chicks. Also, styrofoam = chickie popcorn.

 

[Folly's place]

I'm also very interested in this concept, and will be following for your experience this fall. I'm not doing chicks until spring, so time to see how it goes. So sorry for the loss of your birds! Mary

 

[Mrs. K]

LazyGardener - Is there pictures of Kassaunders set up?

Valid point about all under one, none under the other.

But that brings us back to my point... HOW much space for a dozen chicks, all snuggled together, laying flat in one layer?

 

[aart]

LazyGardener - Is there pictures of Kassaunders set up?

Valid point about all under one, none under the other.

But that brings us back to my point... HOW much space for a dozen chicks, all snuggled together, laying flat in one layer?

I'll guess at 12 x 24.......had 16 under MHP that size...they grew out of it at about 4-5 weeks.

@Kassaundra can you contribute to this thread?

 

[Mrs. K]

ok, I finally got some things done. I built the Wool hen, by splitting a cat litter bucket so that the remaining U was about 5-6 inches high, I hot glued wool yarn pop-pons to the top. Stuck my hand in, still felt cold. So I had some pom-poms left, I glued them flat to the lid, an made a carpet so to speak, then when I stuck my hand between them, much warmer much faster.

I have split the coop into two parts. I hung a "curtain" of chicken wire, by placing nails in the rafter, and tying an old post to the bottom as a weight. I have a temporary placement of plywood along the floor. I set this up, so that the adult birds would get used to a smaller area. There is more than enough space for the 3 birds I have left. This will give a nice space to the chicks and yet not in my house (unless it gets biter cold). Dear Hubby is firmly convinced that farm animals are not indoor animals.

Today, I created a 'screen door" for the coop. My plan is to open the human door, which faces south for the first week, weather permitting. Allowing a good dose of sunshine into the coop. I plan to keep them in the coop for several days, then letting them out to the run, in their own area, protected from the adult birds. That is the last part that I have to get some help for. My son can help me get that set up. Thank goodness, I truly made the run very large.

Now, I am waiting for Sandhills. They contacted me at the end of September, saying they thought they would be able to fill the order in October. Nothing came last week... so hoping this week. As this is the last week they ship. Otherwise, I will be waiting for spring, I guess. Good thing I didn't get them in September, it has taken me longer to get ready than I thought.

Mrs. K

 

[Folly's place]

Let us know how it all works out! Mary

 

[Mrs. K]

ugh, just checked, it is following week, and that is the last one for the year, so either I get them then, or wait till spring. I hope this works.

 

[bobbi-j]