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

[junebuggena]

Cool "She-Shed"

BTW Thank you for the idea of a heating pad hen. Mine turned out well & so far it's doing great. Chicks are 2.5 wks old & were moved out to the garage about a week ago. Tonight's going down to 26'F. I'm nervous. Can the heating pad really work in such cold temps? Should I add a heat lamp for tonight?

When I've checked on them, they're eating & drinking like normal, but I'm darn cold out there! Some are also under or on the heating pad mama. They've been in 40'f temps & even a dip into mid 30s for an overnight low. The below freezing forecast has me guessing. Has anyone ever used this method in these temps with young chicks??? I want to make sure I do not end up with chick-icles.





I made the heating pad support adjustable & tried to mimic the Eco-glow.
Mine has been raised 2x since the chicks are growing fast.


The whole re-purposed playpen was moved to the garage. There's no wind nor rain, but the temp will go below freezing for several hours.

Blooie has used the heating pad setup in sub zero weather. Her lone chick did just fine.

 

[GardenNut]

Dinked around with a new chick feeder today...old ones maybe not enough for this many chicks. Took a failed (IMO) bin feeder and modified it...so far no scratching / billing out of feed. Used seltzer bottles as funnels. Worked good after they figures it out....now 2-4 days old, they had STUFFED crops this evening.

It's a chick McDonald's drive-thru!

Better customer service, I'm sure!

 

[duluthralphie]

Dinked around with a new chick feeder today...old ones maybe not enough for this many chicks.
Took a failed (IMO) bin feeder and modified it...so far no scratching / billing out of feed.
Used seltzer bottles as funnels.
Worked good after they figures it out....now 2-4 days old, they had STUFFED crops this evening.

They actually keep the feed off the floor??


Is that "pop" bottles in a homemade box?

 

[bluejean55girl]

Dinked around with a new chick feeder today...old ones maybe not enough for this many chicks. Took a failed (IMO) bin feeder and modified it...so far no scratching / billing out of feed. Used seltzer bottles as funnels. Worked good after they figures it out....now 2-4 days old, they had STUFFED crops this evening.

nice! Can you show a shot from above?

 

[aart]

Quote: So far, so good...especially after they figured out they didn't need to climb right in there to eat!

Yep, basically, 1 liter seltzer bottles...it's pretty hacked and slashed...curved bottom is flashing metal.
I'll probably make a longer one in the next few days, will document components.
Too bad I just took all the empty bottles back.

 

[bruceha2000]

Cool "She-Shed"

BTW Thank you for the idea of a heating pad hen. Mine turned out well & so far it's doing great. Chicks are 2.5 wks old & were moved out to the garage about a week ago. Tonight's going down to 26'F. I'm nervous. Can the heating pad really work in such cold temps? Should I add a heat lamp for tonight?

When I've checked on them, they're eating & drinking like normal, but I'm darn cold out there! Some are also under or on the heating pad mama. They've been in 40'f temps & even a dip into mid 30s for an overnight low. The below freezing forecast has me guessing. Has anyone ever used this method in these temps with young chicks??? I want to make sure I do not end up with chick-icles.



The whole re-purposed playpen was moved to the garage. There's no wind nor rain, but the temp will go below freezing for several hours.

NO to the heat lamp. They don't need it, the pad is fine put it on it's highest setting. Your chances of disaster with a "QUICK slap it together heat lamp setup" is a lot higher than your chance of having chick-icles. Several people have brooded chicks in sub-freezing weather. At 2.5 weeks they are only 1.5 weeks from being fully feathered and capable of being out there with no supplemental heat.

You are cold out there because you were not "designed" for cold weather. Minimal skin covering. No down feathers.

I would move the feeder out to the wall rather than having it blocking part of the cave entrance. And if the temps do drop below freezing, you will need to take water out in the morning. Don't worry about night time, they don't eat or drink when they are asleep any more than we humans do.

 

[perchie.girl]

Dinked around with a new chick feeder today...old ones maybe not enough for this many chicks.
Took a failed (IMO) bin feeder and modified it...so far no scratching / billing out of feed.
Used seltzer bottles as funnels.
Worked good after they figures it out....now 2-4 days old, they had STUFFED crops this evening.

This would be perfect for a feeder that is flush with the brooder wall.. and totally fillable from the outside. The less often I open that brooder lid the fewer chances for escapees. Dang Guineas.

deb

 

[beautifulpirate]

Dinked around with a new chick feeder today...old ones maybe not enough for this many chicks. Took a failed (IMO) bin feeder and modified it...so far no scratching / billing out of feed. Used seltzer bottles as funnels. Worked good after they figures it out....now 2-4 days old, they had STUFFED crops this evening.

That looks great! Might have to get the husband to put one together for me next week!

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote: So far, so good...especially after they figured out they didn't need to climb right in there to eat!

Yep, basically, 1 liter seltzer bottles...it's pretty hacked and slashed...curved bottom is flashing metal.
I'll probably make a longer one in the next few days, will document components.
Too bad I just took all the empty bottles back.

Oooh Flashing..... Slapping forehead......

 

[aart]

Quote: I may do just that...the bin feeder that this is hacked out of was mounted like that in the coop.
Right now it's just hanging on the HC with a couple of screw in right angle hooks.