Mama Heating Pad in the Brooder (Picture Heavy) - UPDATE

[DragonGirls]

Oh my goodness Blooie,so sorry to hear about your previous flock,how heartbreaking

 

[Blooie]

Thanks. Tank and Agatha were especially fun to have. Agggie was a golden colored Easter Egger, mostly my granddaughter Katie’s favorite. Three times she was seriously broody, with only one chick, Scout, to come of it. He got frost bitten feet and had to come in for a nerve-wracking and long treatment, but he bounced back and got along on his stubs just fine. By the way, Bruce named him for Katie!

Scout and Mom Agatha after they were reunited following the frostbite.

Scout in the first prototype of Mama Heating Pad during his treatment..

Tank was a huge, clumsy Light Brahma who got her name from the way she lumbered across the yard like a Sherman Tank! She was so gentle and friendly. When each of my batches of chicks were let out of the outdoor brooder for the first time at 2 weeks old, she was the first to greet them. And from that day on, from the when the portal doors opened for the first time to when the brooder came out permanently at 4 weeks, she was there to greet every chick as it came out. She was raised exactly the same way, so it was if she’d appointed herself as mentor and guide. @bruceha2000, she reminded me a lot of @Beekissed, taking newbies under her wings and guiding them along as they figured things out. And she loved to sit on my littlest granddaughter Kendra’s lap and go for rides in her wheelchair!

Tank greeting the 4 week old Silkies as they came out of the brooder for good as we got ready to take it out.

Oh, well. I can’t go back, and I guess I’ve forgotten why I had to rehome them in the first place. Our travel schedule would have meant they didn’t get the care they deserved, so I guess the last two years of their lives were better than they would have been if they’d stayed here.

Anyway, off memory lane and on to your question. Um, what was it again? Oh, yeah. Settings for putting them out. I can’t really tell you that. It depends on how you plan to house them out there with the adults (you can kinda see what I do...did....will do again), your temps, and your personal comfort zone. Here they stay in the first day or so until I know they are eating, drinking, and know where to warm and secure, then out they go, even in the teens and twenties. Mine were in a wire pen, so whatever the temp was in the run, that’s the temp they had in the brooder. First day out, if I were you I’d keep the temp setting at whatever they are comfortable with. Watch their behavior - you already know what is ideal BUT expect them to spend a little more time underneath as they need the security in the new surroundings and the ambient air will be a bit cooler. You can always adjust it. There, I just told you pretty much what you already knew, didn’t I?

 

[DragonGirls]

Beautiful birds!
Hehe! Thank you,just the reassurance I needed to hear lol.I keep telling hubby "Blooie had them outside with temps in the teens so I'm sure they will be fine lol" but it's still nice to have that reassurance ty
Yes I wanted to keep them indoors for first few days so I could keep a close eye on them but really want them to go out as soon as possible.
I am very lucky as we have a huge coop ( very very old purpose built coop 34x23 to be exact ,possibly from the 1920's or 30's or 40's lol) but it is divided into 3 bays of which we just use one( 11x23) for the girls -currently just 8 LF,and a run that is 32x8 and free range whenever we can,so they will be in the brooder within the coop to start with.
So exciting! thank you again.

 

[Blooie]

Now, easy, Nellie-girl! Just because something ends up well for me doesn’t mean it’s best for anyone else! What makes this system, and this thread, work so well is because we’ve learn to adopt, adapt, modify, or improvise and then share the successes and the failures. We just try to keep the failures to a minimum. So keep your eyes sharp, anticipate problems, and take quick action if you need to. Otherwise just let those chicks grow and become strong and confident. And that is my advice and I’m stickin’ to it!

 

[DragonGirls]

I will thank you!

 

[Doublete]

I ordered my heating pad to do this... can I make it work with a standard size? It’s all I could find that didn’t have auto shut off (doesn’t seem awful big)

 

[aart]

can I make it work with a standard size?

Sure, any size will work....depending on how many chicks.
What is "standard size" in inches by inches?

 

[Doublete]

Sure, any size will work....depending on how many chicks.
What is "standard size" in inches by inches?

I intended it for my ten freedom rangers. I didn’t measure it. But it says 12x24 in the amazon ad... didn’t seem that big when I took it out of the box briefly but I was
Rushing.. it might have been

 

[aart]

I intended it for my ten freedom rangers. I didn’t measure it. But it says 12x24 in the amazon ad... didn’t seem that big when I took it out of the box briefly but I was
Rushing.. it might have been

12x24 should fit 10 fine, especially if you set it up more like a plate than a cave.

 

[bruceha2000]

But it says 12x24 in the amazon ad

12x24 is Large, plenty big enough for 10.

I can’t remember if I told you or not,

You didn't. I bet you and Jim feel awful about it.

You still raise your chicks outdoors, don’t you?

Yep. First flock of 12 were raised "old style" with a heat lamp in the bathtub of the downstairs bathroom. HOTTER THAN HADES in there for 3 weeks
After a couple of nights in our bedroom with their MHP cave, the 2015's went out under Zorra in a brooder space made into the corner of the coop (10x12' converted horse stall). She taught them the ropes along with an "aunt" that tagged along and stuck with the girls when Zorra kicked them to the curb at 8 weeks.
No broody for the 2017's or 2018's so they had their MHP cave in the brooder space in the coop. As with the 2012's, for a couple of weeks I had a piece of wire fencing up in the alley so the big girls could come out of the coop with the auto door to the south end of the alley and the littles out the original chicken door in the north end of the alley. Seen but separate. Both of those last 2 groups found the alpacas' always open door on their own. Even after the piece of fence was removed, they headed away from the big girls and out the north door. I'm sure they learned some from the older girls but they figured out a lot on their own as well. But, of course, the 2012's had to learn everything for themselves having no mentor. Chickens seem really good a just knowing what they need to do from grit to oyster shell to what "wild" foods to eat.

So my question is.. when they go outside to the coop, do I keep the heat pad temperature setting on the same number or raise it to compensate for the pretty chilly weather we seem to be having atm

Do as before, watch what they do, if they aren't coming out much, it is too cool in their cave. I've had chicks out in the barn with their MHP at the end of April twice, no problems.