Barn fire led to surprise babies for us

[Opiumbrella]

A friend had a barn fire, thankfully her flock, and her horses and all the other animals are ok, with a couple very minor injuries. And thankfully she is ok as she put her life in danger to save her animals.
I now have two baby bantam Cochins and two baby blue something's. I have them in a tote, with shavings, a hot water bottle I'm changing every few hours, and they are snuggled in a shirt cave sleeping away. I am terrified of heat lamps. And now having these because one sparked a barn fire I'm wondering if indoors, in a room that isn't really getting below 70 at night, if the bottle and snuggle shirt is enough for these babies. The bantams are 4-5 days old and the blues are 1-2 days.
Would some rice in a bag microwaved work? Thanks for the help.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Do you happen to have a heating pad without an auto shut off, or a heating mat for seedlings? Those would be suitable alternatives and much safer to use.

 

[Callender Girl]

Kudos to you for taking in the babies, and thank goodness your friend wasn't injured.

I like the suggestions @rosemarythyme offered.

I have used heat lamps for indoor brooding for a number of years without incident -- but always with nervousness. If this is a one-time brood, it wouldn't be worth the cost, but this year I bought a radiant heat brooder for less than $50 this spring that worked well and I slept better at night.

Good luck with the babies!

 

[Opiumbrella]

Kudos to you for taking in the babies, and thank goodness your friend wasn't injured.

I like the suggestions @rosemarythyme offered.

I have used heat lamps for indoor brooding for a number of years without incident -- but always with nervousness. If this is a one-time brood, it wouldn't be worth the cost, but this year I bought a radiant heat brooder for less than $50 this spring that worked well and I slept better at night.

Good luck with the babies!

I actually ordered one. But it won't be here for a few days.
In my office there is a HUGE melted hole in the rug from a heat lamp accident that almost started a fire. They are so scary. And start so many fires every year. But these radiant heat brooders seem really great. I'm excited. And these won't be my last babies. So I will def get use out of it.
My heating pad shuts off every 30 min or so. So that won't work. But my hot water bottle stays warm for hours and they seem to like it. I have it wrapped in the bottom of a t shirt, and the chicks put in the t shirt through the neck hole like a cave, up against the warm bottle. And they seem to be doing ok. They are sleepy babies as babies are. But between sleeps they are very active and eating and drinking and running around being oh so cute. Two of them are blue Plymouth rocks and they look like tiny fluffy penguin babies. Lol.
Sleepless night ahead. . I can never really sleep when I have babies, but they are so worth it.