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

[janiedoe]

Thanks. I really didn’t want to do this again….I was rather enjoying being free of all the chicken work, although I did miss the fresh eggs. Oh, well. In for a penny, for a pound.

Last night was their first night in the dark. There’s always that concern that they may wander away from MHP as the sun goes down, then be unable to find their way back under. So about 11:30 I went out to check on them one last time. I gently lifted the frame and they were totally flaked out, probably enjoying the first full night’s sleep they’ve ever had. Ken, of course, had to go out and check them at first light this morning. He said before he opened the door he could hear them talking to each other and hear the click of the nipples in the waterer. He did say we needed to “fine tune” MHP. Since he has obviously seen an issue I don’t see, he can darn well do it. I was happy with the way it was.

Now you have new babies for mother's day! Enjoy!

 

[junior67]

Our MHP in the brooder update. We got our chicks 4 weeks ago tomorrow. They are just over 4 weeks old. They use the MHP to play on. It is just over 60F today when this picture was taken. Tomorrow we open the chick doors and let the chicks enter the run as they please. They will be able to retreat to the brooder and have their own water and feed stations.

can't wait to hear how it goes opening the chick doors since mine are a week behind you. I need to get mine into the outside pen during the day since most times the big ones don't even look at them inside the coop. My roo will go in and have a peek here and there but that is it. So need to start putting them out during the day and in at night. But the past 2 weeks have been crazy with my mom being in the hospital for a week of it (so work, drop one child off at work then to the hospital till visiting hours were over), then yesterday was my daughters prom so between running her back and forth to work, doing stuff for her new job, and prom stuff I was barely home. PRAYING this week is a bit easier so I can get them out at least a few hours each day. Think I need to move stuff in my run so their spot can go near the outlet so I can plug in my extra MHP in case they need it.

 

[Blooie]

can't wait to hear how it goes opening the chick doors since mine are a week behind you. I need to get mine into the outside pen during the day since most times the big ones don't even look at them inside the coop. My roo will go in and have a peek here and there but that is it. So need to start putting them out during the day and in at night. But the past 2 weeks have been crazy with my mom being in the hospital for a week of it (so work, drop one child off at work then to the hospital till visiting hours were over), then yesterday was my daughters prom so between running her back and forth to work, doing stuff for her new job, and prom stuff I was barely home. PRAYING this week is a bit easier so I can get them out at least a few hours each day. Think I need to move stuff in my run so their spot can go near the outlet so I can plug in my extra MHP in case they need it.

Yeah, you’ve had a little bit going in, that’s for sure.

 

[junior67]

Yeah, you’ve had a little bit going in, that’s for sure.

been very busy! Looking forward to some down time that I can spend with the babies so they can get to know me a bit more!

 

[bruceha2000]

Since he has obviously seen an issue I don’t see, he can darn well do it.

He's all in now, he'll do the winter slogging

 

[Blooie]

He's all in now, he'll do the winter slogging

And he’s welcome to it!

 

[jreardon1918]

can't wait to hear how it goes opening the chick doors since mine are a week behind you. I need to get mine into the outside pen during the day since most times the big ones don't even look at them inside the coop. My roo will go in and have a peek here and there but that is it. So need to start putting them out during the day and in at night. But the past 2 weeks have been crazy with my mom being in the hospital for a week of it (so work, drop one child off at work then to the hospital till visiting hours were over), then yesterday was my daughters prom so between running her back and forth to work, doing stuff for her new job, and prom stuff I was barely home. PRAYING this week is a bit easier so I can get them out at least a few hours each day. Think I need to move stuff in my run so their spot can go near the outlet so I can plug in my extra MHP in case they need it.

They did great. We trapped the two hens in the coop and opened the chick doors. The chicks came out and played. They also found the water station. They have a HN bucket in the brooder. We started them on the HN at two weeks. We let the hens out and for the most part the hens ignored the chicks. So far so good.

 

[junior67]

They did great. We trapped the two hens in the coop and opened the chick doors. The chicks came out and played. They also found the water station. They have a HN bucket in the brooder. We started them on the HN at two weeks. We let the hens out and for the most part the hens ignored the chicks. So far so good.

Thank you. I moved my stuff around. just need to bring the other heating pad out and plug it in then hopefully this week I can set up some more hiding spots but also put them in the run set up so they can interact a bit more! I also have chicks that should be hatching under a broody this week so need to see how she is once they hatch since she may be more protective too.

 

[junior67]

I got my "1 day old chicks" (got them from a local feed store but they were shipped so guessing actually a few days old, they are pre-order and shipped at a day old) 3 weeks ago yesterday. They are in the coop brooder with the MHP (my heating pad has 9 heat settings, they are down to a 4 so a bit under half and it is raised up quite a ways). Most don't really use it during the day, but they all still go under at night. I have ONE Salmon Faverolles that spends probably 80-90% of the day under the heating pad. She is healthy, eats and drinks fine etc. If I take her out she will run around or if on my lap at the door to it she will jump off and run back in and under the MHP. Because she is under there so much she is less feathered than the rest. Should I just continue on like normal and keep lowering it and figure she will figure it out and stop using it as much at some point or what?

our temps have been ALL over. from in the 30's (at night) to in the low 70's some days, other days are around 50. My last batch that was brooded inside with a MHP weren't like this! around 3.5 weeks they were off heat but my house was also 65* day and night so think that helped. but they were ALL out from under it the same. Not sure what is up with this little girl. LOL

 

[Blooie]

If I take her out she will run around or if on my lap at the door to it she will jump off and run back in and under the MHP. Because she is under there so much she is less feathered than the rest. Should I just continue on like normal and keep lowering it and figure she will figure it out and stop using it as much at some point or what?

She may just be a bit insecure. As we all know, even chicks and chickens have distinct personalities and she’s showing hers! Just keep on keeping on. At 3 weeks they don’t all fit under a broody hen either, so get them weaned off the heat. Her feathering should catch up once she doesn’t have access to the pad any more. She sounds like she’ll always need a bit of a hidey hole, so when you are integrating make sure she has a place to escape to and knows how to use it.