"creative" ways to keep the brooder warm?

[lilstar]

So, we've had a crazy weekend. my incubator broke and killed most the babies (it broke by going up over 120* then not turning back on after getting unplugged). I assisted the only surviving duckling out of a sticky shell. I have 2 more chicks (set 36 hours after the ducks, so right about tonight is when they're due) that have pips and some that may still pip. Its a miracle they survived, but I saw movement when candling.. Anyway. Broken incubator, and I only have one brooder light. Its over the incubator keeping the temperature pretty reasonable. The duckling is down my shirt right now, very content. I definitely can't sleep like that! Poor little guy has no buddies to snuggle up to.. just cold lifeless stuffed animals I need to keep him warm at night. I have no space heater, but I did but the brooder right next to a heat vent. I did find Some Tylenol brand heat wraps, like for back pain. Says provides heat for up to 8 hours. I wonder if I could use that somehow? I have a rubbermaid bin set up as a brooder. i could stick it underneath the bin, or even right under the wood shavings? Any thoughts? I sure hope those chicks decide to hatch quick so they can get into the brooder and share the heat source!

 

[chick007]

try using an eletric heating pad that you use for spraind ankles, or strained backs. in a pinch the heat wraps will work wrapped in towels or blankets. put whatever heat source wrapped in towel on bottom, use another towel to make nets and loosely covering duckling to help hold heat

 

[lilstar]

Okay, so I'll wrap a heat wrap (or 2?) in a towel, put that under the shavings. I'll put the "lovies" on either side of it because he snuggles between them. then cover the duck with a towel? Or drape one over the brooder? I have a muslin receiving blanket that could make a good covering. Help a little bit to keep the heat in but still allow good ventilation

 

[chick007]

put towel with heat wraps in bottom duckling on top of that. towel wapped in circle around eggs and duckling. too much heat loss with shavings for now. booder lamp over nest

 

[jeepguy982001]

if you have dry rice you can heat it up in a microwave and put it in a sock or whatever it'l hold heat for a good bit.

 

[lilstar]

Wow, those tylenol heat wrap things really suck! It produces "detectable warmth" but "detectable" is about the nicest way to describe the temperature it gave off. Lame. No microwave, so I can't make any rice socks. Decided to just put the duckling back in the incubator with the heat lamp over it. The humidity has already been compromised severely.. whats one more lid opening? I made it a little nest in a small box with a lovey and some bedding. Poor little thing was all, "***?" because he was sooo cozy on my chest Seems pretty miffed to be in there! One of the chicks is zipping, woot!

 

[jeepguy982001]

I hope it all goes well. I've never dealt with ducks maybe its coming soon

 

[suzeqf]

What I did when I got 4 babies and it was storming when we got home and my brooder lamp bulb shot, i took them in the house and put a towel in the dryer and got it really warm and i put them in a box with the towel and a stuffy and then i put a second warm towel on top of the box and i hung a flashlight in the box and closed the lid enough to keep the warm in but open enough to let air in and i wrapped the box with a blanket and put pillowsaroudn it to keep out the drafts and my cat actually slept on top of the box

but he likes the peeps and doesn't bother them i don't think he realized they were i the box he just knew he had found a warm place to sleep. then come 6am i checked on them and they were peeping up at storm and about 3 hours later they were all snuggled up in their brooder

 

[lilstar]

I decided since the humidity was already shot in the incubator.. whats one more lid opening? (*sigh*) and put him in there for the night. 2 chicks hatched, with 2 more pips. Its a nice sunny day in Seattle, so I put them on the front seat of the car with the window partly open. Checking often to make sure its not excessively hot. But we're talking low 60s Enough to get a parked car warm and cozy, not enough to get dangerously hot.