- Apr 27, 2010
- 3
- 3
- 62
This year was the year to change out the old girls to the younger ones. Looking thru the forum on brooders. I took the Heating blanket idea to the next level? We didn't have a heating pad to begin with so I think I have discovered a way to eliminate the heat lamp idea and keep the exact temperature where you want it. I used my heating pads i use to start my veggies for the garden. They are water proof, you can set the temperature to what they need. (I place a small thermometer at the enterence of the brooder to see they were getting. You can adjust the temp for your area climate. I made a chicken wire top little brooder. Set the pads (I had two of them) on top, with a thin piece of plywood over that and a old blanket on top of that to trap the heat in. It worked great. Easy way of checking the temp from the controller. When the chicks had their feathers, we moved them to a temp run that butted up next to the regular pen, so all the chickens can see each other. I then moved my heating pads to the chick run and put them on the ground. First i wrapped some alumium foil around thin wood and put that down on the ground, then the heating pad. with wood shavings on top of that so the heat raidated up. I put a card board box over all of that so the chicks could get out of the sun during the day and at night they would all snuggle under it on the heating pad at night. When it warmed up i pulled out the pad. It was nice to have the control of the heat pad. We had cold weather mixed in with the spring warmth so i was able to adjust for the weather. At 8 weeks i cut a little door between the chick run and regular chicken yard so the little ones could explore the new home and could get away from the older chicks. At 12wks they are in big yard with their own feeder with starter for a few more weeks.
