INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[JanetMarie]

I wrapped the heating pad with aluminum foil for more heat conduction, but I don't really know if that does anything. I also don't want the pad to be directly against the towels. Then over the foil a hand towel on each side, then wrapped in Press and Seal.

The chick cave is the bottom of a pet carrier, with bubble foil insulation adhered to the inside. This is only for new chicks. Once the chicks are a few weeks old they don't want to go under the cave any longer.

 

[JanetMarie]

The largest of totes is way too small for this set up. I make my own chick enclosure out of large cardboard boxes, and trash bags taped to the bottom.

 

[Leahs Mom]

@JanetMarie

Did you turn that upside down and they go into it.... or was the heat on the bottom and they lay on the heat?


ETA: We must have been posting right at the same time! So I see how you do it!

 

[JanetMarie]

Then pine shavings. I also have a heating pad on top of the chick cave, that I only leave there for maybe a week, depending on the time of year.

I don't leave the chicks in the incubator to totally dry after hatching, but put a few at a time in the cave, where it is drier than in the incubator.

For your situation, you could put the heating pad under the shavings, maybe a towel over one end of the tote so they know to go under that area.

 

[JanetMarie]

@JanetMarie

Did you turn that upside down and they go into it.... or was the heat on the bottom and they lay on the heat?

I think my post after this explains that.

 

[JanetMarie]

For my goslings (and ducklings in a separate area) I put a towel over one corner where the heating pad is. They sleep under the towel in the corner.

For ducks and goslings, I use old bath towels on the floor instead of shavings. The heating pad is under the towel. Using the towels makes a lot of work to hose off, and wash all of those towels, that have to be changed every day. The ducks were wetting the shavings, eating them, and dying.

 

[JanetMarie]

@Leahs Mom I like the adjustable legs on your chick cave/mom brooder. That would solve the problem with the height of ducklings and goslings.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Quote:
We must have been posting at the same time as I didn't see the next one come up until after I posted. Good photos

 

[Leahs Mom]

@Leahs Mom I like the adjustable legs on your chick cave/mom brooder. That would solve the problem with the height of ducklings and goslings.

I have to credit @aart and @henless for that idea. I also like that it is open on all sides so they can escape if the chicks push in and press toward the back or sides. No one is trapped or suffocated by being pushed up against the walls or back by the other chicks with no way of escape at the back of the "cave". They can exit from all sides safely.

 

[Leahs Mom]

@Leahs Mom I like the adjustable legs on your chick cave/mom brooder. That would solve the problem with the height of ducklings and goslings.

@JanetMarie

I used the 8" carriage bolts. But they have some that are longer so you could choose something that gives more height adjustment. They do have a larger diameter the longer they get so it depends on how much leeway your rack has.

We have a lot of old closet shelving that came from my husband's work that he saved so it is recycled use for us. But...those shelves are pretty inexpensive at Menards or Lowes brand new. I also picked up the end caps that fit on the cut ends of the shelves and got some to put on top of the the carriage bolts so there weren't any sharp edges open. Those little caps were very cheap for a whole package.

I don't think the end caps were on the images I posted before....but you can see them in this photo...black on top of the carriage bolts. And if you look really close, you can see a white cap on the one in the right back just to the right and below the cord.