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

[Blooie]

@ashleymroles Payment accepted!! So cute, and they look like they're having a great time!

You asked about recommendations for docile roosters. I have to caution you about your expectations in a rooster. You can hand raise a rooster chick, have him totally devoted to you and your family, gentle as a lamb, and riding on your shoulders for months. But once his hormones kick in, you may have an entirely different critter on your hands. Fact is, sometimes the roosters who were the most owner friendly from chicks turn the worst - they have never learned to respect you because you never had reason to set boundaries. So they aren't one bit worried about challenging you every time you go out there. I'm not saying this is always the case, but we see enough questions here on BYC about "Why did my tame rooster attack me?" to know that it does indeed happen. And breed seems to make no difference. One person may have a game rooster that does his job perfectly, respects the people in his environment, and is a joy to have in the flock. Someone else with a normally docile breed, like a Buff Orpington, can't even go outside without carrying a broom for protection. So while some breeds are indeed more docile than others and more inclined to gentleness, we can't forget that those are generalities, not something written in stone.

Am I saying that all roosters are aggressive? Certainly not, and I'd be a fool to make such a blanket statement. I am only trying to let you know that it's always a possibility. I once saw roosters described as "a ball of unexpected in a pretty wrapper." That's pretty accurate. I might recommend that you keep all the cockerels for a while, then make your decision on which one to keep after you've been able to observe and compare behavior. And be forewarned that getting rid of extra roosters isn't always easy. I just want your expectations to be realistic. Culling my Scout was the hardest thing I've done since I started raising chickens. Folks who know me and know Scout's story know that is no exaggeration. He only attacked me once - that was one time too many and he was in the refrigerator that afternoon. I have 2 disabled granddaughters who are sometimes here more than they are home, so no second chances.

Can't advise you on the incubation thing, although Bee's thread was the second catalyst for raising chicks under a heating pad.

 

[ShrekDawg]

I wonder if that boundaries thing could aplly to pullets? Ir if mine just hate me from all the chasing previously? Or they are just babies and think my legs are food still? It doesn't seem to be malicious. But every time I go in the run they start pecking me

 

[lazy gardener]

Ashley, Blooie has given you an excellent overview on expectations for a rooster. Also, cockrels raised with flock mates tend to be more aggressive. Not always, but often enough. And if you plan to raise a cockrel so that he's a family pet... statistically, those are the human aggressive ones. Not always, but again, frequently enough that it seems to be more of a pattern. Want a good roo? Try getting one from an established flock who is being phased out to make room for a younger replacement. He'll be proven in temperament. Don't expect any roo to protect your girls from an aerial predator. He will keep an eye on the sky, and hopefully give early warning. But, he'll also head for cover the minute he spies that hawk, as will his hens.

My attitude about raising roosters: just as soon as I know that a chick is a male, I adopt a "hands off, arm's length away" policy. No snuggles, no hand fed treats. The only time I handle a cockrel is if I need to apply some dominance training. I had a youngster last summer, a broody raised guy. He declared himself very early, and starting at about 2 weeks, he started tackling my hand when I reached into the pen. He was determined that I was a threat to his Mama and siblings. So, just for grins and giggles, I decided to see if he could be rehabbed. Otherwise, he was determined to be invited to a barbecue just as soon as there was a bit of meat on his drumsticks. Every time I went near him, I'd grab him, and pin his legs and wings down, and push his head down below chest level. I'd keep pushing his head down every time he lifted it up (to bite me, I might add!) When he'd keep it down when pressure was released, I'd set him down, but maintain hold on him. He'd need a few reminders on the ground, but when he submitted there, I'd slowly release him. 2 weeks of this, had him minding his manners!

 

[perchie.girl]

i dont handle my birds at all except to administer aid.... or get em from point A to point B. Only roo I ever had that tried to dominate me was one I had bought from a family. he got "relocated".


When I say kids I mean little uns. Kids and roosters even ones that are mild mannered are not a good mix. Kids are just the right height to get nailed in bad places like faces. Plus the added trauma of being attacked. So Supervision of the roo or lockdown of the roo when kids visit is my chriteria. Just like with horses No matter how well behaved there will always be the possibility of out side influences to change the rules.

A roosters job is to protect and possibly give his life for the flock. I have always had between four to six roosters of varying ages. The young ones get chased off by the ollder ones and form a bachelor flock on the fringes. This is where they need to learn their jobs.

That being said My Welsummer roos were very mellow fellows Huge and kind of laid back. Even in the cockrel stage one became the dominant and the others toed the line. I had four roos and twenty hens. Even when they werent handled very often I could grab one up from the crew around my feet and give him a good look over... It was like "Ok ok lady get this over with I have stuff to do"

I have no idea if that is common amongst Welsummers or even if that was a variance on the bloodline. they were hatchery chicks. And My very first large fowl flock.

deb

 

[10AcreChick]

It sounds like I have had really good luck with roosters, from all the horror stories on here! We got one when he was bout 9 months old, and he never acted hostile, but kept the hens in line. He eventually got spurs, but never used them as far as I could see. We don't handle our poultry much, either. Unfortunately, he died of bumblefoot, he was an RIR.

I just got a BR roo, 5 months old now, and he is also wonderful.

Our chickens are free range, and that may lend to their better behavior, they have a lot of area to worry about. We do not raise our chickens for pets, and any one of them could hit the stew pot at any time!

 

[GardenNut]

I just ordered my Sunbeam "MHP!" I hope to get my 4 Buff Orpington chicks around 24 March. I like this idea much better than the heat lamp. This is my first foray into raising chickens, since I left home many years ago. BOs sounded like a good, quiet breed to have in a small yard with close neighbors. Thanks Blooie!

 

[Blooie]

You are so welcome, @GardenNut If we can answer any questions along the way, we're all here to help! And you know the drill - photos for membership dues!

 

[Redwolf141]

HI folksmy chicks are coming later this week and I was going to use a heat lamp but decided to go the way of a MHP,after browsing this thread. One question I have is for 6 new chicks how big of a MHP will I need? I bought a large sunbeam heat pad how big of a cave will I need to make?

 

[Blooie]

The smaller pad would have been fine, @Redwolf141 but since you already have the large one you are all set for when chicken math takes over...and if you're like most of us it will! Just make the cave about 4-6 inches high in front, tapering down at the back. The width won't matter that much...if you can drape the pad over the cave you're all set. You can even tuck any excess under the edges of the frame if you'd like. Or you can leave the back of the cave open, more of a tunnel than a cave, so chicks don't get trapped it the back - not that with just 6 chicks that's likely to happen since there aren't so many that some will block the exit for the back ones trying to get out. Make it to fit one side of your brooder and have your food and water at the opposite end so they have to leave the cave to get to it. Actually having more cave size than you really need will work to your advantage, since it's easier to pull it up in the center when they need less heat without losing any space for them inside. I still prefer to keep it as simple as possible - frame, heating pad, and some kind of awning at the front. There's something so natural that they like when they have to duck underneath the awning to get inside the cave. If you look at the first photos at the beginning of the thread, you can see my pad doesn't cover every inch of the frame - I kept a "cool spot" in front right at the awning. They sure spent a lot of time in that "not quite cool but not too hot" spot, surveying their domain!

You can also do it the way @aart and some others do...she used a kitchen cooling rack and just uses the pad flat on top, like the EcoGlow brooders. There are only few hard and fast rules with MHP - learn to watch your chicks and give them more or less heat as they tell you, make sure the heating pad doesn't turn off automatically after a couple hours, and be flexible if you have to make a change here and there. They pretty much take care of the rest! Oh, and photos....don't forget that your dues into the Broody Brigade are photos of your chicks and set up!

 

[jrjoplin]

Just finished my new design for my MHP. Thanks to everyone who offered their advice during my planning stages. A special thanks to those who have built a solid frame unit before as I took inspiration from all of them.

I used a 3/4" plywood project panel that was left over for the sides and back in an effort to hold heat in since my heating pad doesn't wrap down to the sides. There are holes every inch staring at 2 inches for the adjustable shelf pegs (like you would find in a bookcase) which allows the MHP to be raised and lowered without creating a gap where the chicks could get caught. I may or may not have gone out to the Brinsea website to see where the Ecoglow's height settings started and ended; mine will go higher than an Ecoglow although I doubt that will be needed.



The shelf is a 1x2 frame with hardware cloth to support the Heating pad then topped with a piece of 3/8" plywood covered with a towel.









Here it is set up in the brooder I'll include an outside shot so you can see my overall setup. The LED lights don't put off any heat and are for my working purposes only the brooder sits between two windows so most times the chicks only get natural light. The entire brooder plugs in and has outlets on the back for the MHP and anything else that may require electricity. Chicks don't arrive for two weeks so everything isn't setup yet.





I have a stack of older towels so I'm debating not putting anything to cover it and keep it clean. I could always wrap the top piece and towel in the ever popular Press-n-Seal if they start soiling them too quickly.

** for anyone wondering that is last weeks project still in the garage. My partner is disabled so this year the garden is being elevated so it can be worked from the mobility scooter that you can see in the first picture. I've made 8 6'x2' elevated garden beds and will make one more that is slightly shorter and wider for tomato plants. They need a coat of sealant on the outside and it's been raining most of the week so they aren't quite ready to live outside.