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

[bruceha2000]

Ive read this thread and I'm all amped up about doing this. I've got 5 buckeyes and 2 marans coming this Spring.I got my heating pad and just ordered my brooder cage for the coop. I dont need the divider but it was part of the package with the top. Just need to get set up with proper food station and I'm set. Woohoo. This is going to be fun and I look forward to going thru it with you others trying it for the first time.

Good thing it has a top

It is amazing how far up a young chick can fly. 2' at 2 weeks in the case of my June girls. You going to get some Guinea Pigs for it in a few weeks?

 

[akaruby]

@bruceha2000 the garage is only a few degrees warmer, I have to recalibrate my thermometer outside to be sure. My next batch of chicks will be the end of March and I'll brood them outside with the MHPB from the start. We've had a mild winter but what do you know it's 8 degrees on Saturday.

 

[bruceha2000]

@bruceha2000 the garage is only a few degrees warmer, I have to recalibrate my thermometer outside to be sure. My next batch of chicks will be the end of March and I'll brood them outside with the MHPB from the start. We've had a mild winter but what do you know it's 8 degrees on Saturday.

You live in the tropics, it is going to be 0F here Thursday night, -1F Friday night and -7F Saturday night

. Yeah, we got a reprieve this year, last winter was brutal cold and lasted WAY longer than usual.

I'm not really sure what to advise, maybe put them out tomorrow and see how they fare? Put a bunch of pine shavings or hay in the coop and they will make "day nests" to stay warm. They likely won't roost high right off since they have no clue what a roost is.

I guess I should have asked, layers or meat birds? The weather aspect notwithstanding, I can see serial batches of meat birds through the year, especially if you are selling them to people for their roasting pan.

 

[akaruby]

You live in the tropics, it is going to be 0F here Thursday night, -1F Friday night and -7F Saturday night . Yeah, we got a reprieve this year, last winter was brutal cold and lasted WAY longer than usual.

I'm not really sure what to advise, maybe put them out tomorrow and see how they fare?  Put a bunch of pine shavings or hay in the coop and they will make "day nests" to stay warm. They likely won't roost high right off since they have no clue what a roost is. 

I guess I should have asked, layers or meat birds? The weather aspect notwithstanding, I can see serial batches of meat birds through the year, especially if you are selling them to people for their roasting pan.

They are layers. I'll take them out for a bit tomorrow and see how they do. I could slowly start to transition them.

 

[bruceha2000]

They are layers. I'll take them out for a bit tomorrow and see how they do. I could slowly start to transition them.

If they are fine during the day, popping in and out as they like and head into the cave at night, I would leave them out rather than taking them back and forth into the house. I think that would screw them up royally. Probably want the pad on high and make sure there are the lower and higher areas so they can choose where to be relative to the pad.

 

[akaruby]

If they are fine during the day, popping in and out as they like and head into the cave at night, I would leave them out rather than taking them back and forth into the house. I think that would screw them up royally. Probably want the pad on high and make sure there are the lower and higher areas so they can choose where to be relative to the pad. 

Okay thanks! I'll see how they do!

 

[eagrbeavr]

Good thing it has a top

It is amazing how far up a young chick can fly. 2' at 2 weeks in the case of my June girls. You going to get some Guinea Pigs for it in a few week

You can buy it without the top and divider and I was really on the fence about it. I need to cover it anyway. Its going in the coop with the current residents and theyll be all over it making a mess of things. I finally said frig it and got the whole thing. It wouldve olny been 35 bucks to my house without, but whatever. I think 17 inches should be enough to give them a roost and when theyre ready to pop out of there, I hope to have a second coop put together in and can split the run in half easy enough. Letm grow out in there for while, get a little bigger before letting them in with the rest of the crew.

And no. Not getting any weet weets

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

Success!!!

I woke up to an incubator brimming with baby chicks, so after doing the beak-water dip, I moved the dry ones (about 7) under the MHP. (I will admit that in my nervousness, I had the Brinsea Ecoglow up and running to temperature, just in case of an issue.) They're very quiet, just dozing under there (they're tired after all that stomping around and spelunking over the eggs) - they've gotten closer to the edge to look out now. Ambient in the mudroom where they are is about 62F at the moment. Seven in there now, three drying off in the incubator, and five left that may or may not make it (some pipped, but in wrong position). I was a little worried if there will be enough room, but I think it'll be ok - they like to lay close together.)






Thank you so much, everyone! Now I need to build a second one for the second hatch next week!!!

- Ant Farm

 

[aart]

 

[azygous]

OMG those guys are cute! It's coming into spring and pics like that trigger the "urge" to succumb to chicken math. I'm fighting it.