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

[Blooie]

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.

Me too, @azygous but I'm losing! Actually I'm only doing 9 this year - but that is saying I have as successful a hatch as @Fire Ant Farm had! Wow, those are some cute chicks!!! Congratulations on a great hatch!

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

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.

Me too, @azygous but I'm losing! Actually I'm only doing 9 this year - but that is saying I have as successful a hatch as @Fire Ant Farm had! Wow, those are some cute chicks!!! Congratulations on a great hatch!

Thanks! These were my own eggs - it was touch and go for a little bit as the (BRAND NEW!) R-Com incubator decided it just didn't feel like maintaining humidity a few times during lock down.

Added old school wet sponges, etc., and it was ok.

I'm in baby chick cuteness overload right now - and I have some shipped eggs that are 9 days behind these (not sure how successful that hatch will be). This is so addictive, I don't see how you don't all have baby chicks spilling out of every cabinet and drawer and the pockets of your clothes like tribbles!!!!

BTW, they seem way more comfy/happy under the MHP than chicks were under the EcoGlow...

- Ant Farm

 

[CountryChic95]

I wanted to say thank you to Blooie for posting the heating pad brooder! great idea to keep them quiet at night! Thanks!

 

[Hholly]

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

Yay! Such cuties!

 

[Blooie]

I wanted to say thank you to Blooie for posting the heating pad brooder! great idea to keep them quiet at night! Thanks!

Oh you are so very welcome! Can I assume you are using it then, or plan to be?

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

BTW, I can't remember if I said so earlier (the past day or so has been a blur), but over the top of the MHP, I laid two cloth baby diapers, as they are absorbent, washable, and designed to handle poo. I don't have children (so didn't have them on hand), but ordered them online when my rooster was injured, to have cloths to use on him or as padding in his crate that were designed for that purpose (catching poo). We'll see how this goes for keeping the top more clean as they begin to sit up there...

- Ant Farm

 

[Blooie]

@Fire Ant Farm - whatever works!

 

[duluthralphie]

antfarm!!

Those are so cute!!! Peeking out like that, A calendar picture for next year!

 

[CountryChic95]

I hope to use it for this hatch! can't wait to try...

 

[Blooie]

My very favorite photos of Scout were taken when he was about a week old. He was the chick I had to bring in and treat because he got his feet wet at the waterer when it was -17 degrees out there and he froze them. He was the first chick I ever used MHP on, and I did it a little differently then because there was just him. I formed it into a tent, with a wire as the support. He loved it in there!