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

[monkcat]

It's been a beautiful warm day today. Mid 80's, low humidity, clear skies. The chicks haven't been under the heating pad all day. I went out while ago to check their feed and water, they are starting to nap all around the coop. Some on the ground, some on a low roost, some in the nest boxes. Then they'll get up and move around and fall asleep wherever. I have the pad turned down to 3. It is supposed to get to 51 tonight. Will see how they are acting and if it needs to go back to 4 or not.

They are eating very little of their crumble but are scratching and pecking at stuff on the ground most of the day. Hoping they are eating enough. Seem to be enjoying the weather.

Off to start a camp fire for s'mores and making memories with my babies. Have a good weekend all!

 

[katbriar]

Just went to check on the little ones now that it's dark out.

Poor things haven't stirred in three solid hours. Several people on here have made the comment that they felt like chicks kept under lights are just exhausted, and seeing the way these two have passed out makes me think about how much they've probably been kept awake by lights and the other chicks in the feed store.

I have two 1x2s each with three small holes drilled in them. The holes hold three bridges made of wire cost hangers so that I can spread the pieces if wood farther apart to get the cave lower while they're small and push the pieces of wood together and make the arches taller as the birds grow. The heating pad rests directly on these arches (lots of soft, warm surface area for the birds to be against) and a doubled over towel is draped to keep the heat in on the back and sides. The towel is draped over the front to hang over the edge partially on one side and all the way to the floor on the other. I'm sure it's very snuggley in there and the girls have found their most comfortable arrangement.

BTW- for those of you trying to figure out what type of heating pad works and where to purchase it, I am using a Sunbeam brand I ordered directly from their website. It does not have an automatic shut off at all (stays on ALL the time) and has high, medium, and low settings. Because it doesn't have an auto shut off it should come back on after a power outage is restored.

The customer service folks at Sunbeam were very helpful when I told them I was looking for a model without a shut off.

I was jealous of those of you with 10 settings, but this model's high setting is definitely warm enough and I have no doubt that as they get a little more hearty the medium and low settings will do just fine. (Keep it simple, right?)

 

[alibabba]

Ok, please don't freak out. Remember I have 23 chicks. 3 weeks old...

I put the kids outside.


Power blew in the rec room a couple days ago. Bad breaker, wiring...who knows yet. I let them go one night, made them a towel nest.
Reach your hand in and that snuggle pile is "HOT"! They lived, and coninued to thrive....

I put the heat pad outside in the doghouse coop (on its legs, but they always prefrered to sit on top

They spent the night in the coop, but it was cool today and didn't seem to get the hang of going inside....

I put the food and water in, put the pad (with its landscape fabric cover) on the foor ...and after a quick tr\ip to the farm store and errands, they were using the warmth.

They have roosts (they were using) and room to get off the pad if they get to hot, and not a peep. ( I have a baby monitor on outside 24/7)

All are well.


I hope I didn't screw things up royally, but they are loving the worms and I need strong immune systems and a clean rec room!

 

[lazy gardener]

Why would anyone freak out? You are providing exactly what they need.

 

[Blooie]

x2 They are being chickens and you're letting it happen....that's a good thing, @alibaba !

Wasn't on BYC yesterday. Kinda had a super busy one. Added another cattle panel to the run and although it was by no means difficult it was time consuming! Like all day time consuming. But it's done, they have more room, and after we get one more piece of lattice added to the fence in front of it nobody will ever know that it wasn't always that way.

The Tinys at 3 weeks aren't using the cave at all now. They sit on top at night, all night long, and are perfectly content. Last night the Littles went into the coop at sunset all by themselves! They'd been sleeping on the floor in a feathery pile, right in front of the opening to the brooder pen. So for the last two nights Ken and I would go out, flip the light on in the coop (the Bigs hated that!) and then I'd gently herd them into the coop. As soon as they were all in, he'd shut the pop door and turn out the light. They still slept on the floor, but at least they were in the coop. So having them put themselves to bed was a pretty big deal.

I ache in places nice people don't talk about. <sigh> But it's done, they have more room, and we didn't put any litter down. There's still grass and dirt there in the new section, and they can scratch it all down for me......after it's nice and roughed up and bare, then I'll toss in some litter. I'm sure they'll scratch some that-a-way too.

 

[katbriar]

It's dark and I just checked on them, their second night. Both birds tucked just under the front edge of the heating pad. Quiet, quiet, quiet.

I spent quite a bit of time with them throughout today. No pasty butts. No stress. Happy birds preening and jumping on and off high things. More trilling than I've ever heard. Eating and drinking whenever it suits them. They are so happy and relaxed that they aren't afraid of me hovering over the edge to watch or reaching in to touch them. They're already eating out of my hand.

I've had three other batches and they were not this comfortable and confident. They were flighty and seemed like they couldn't focus. Someone was always peeping that loud, unhappy call. Seeing the difference now I can't help but attribute that to being under almost constant stimulus. It's funny- I know how miserable I would be if I had to eat and sleep under constant lights, being knocked about by others until I was so exhausted I couldn't help but fall over where I stood. But I used to think that was normal and ok for chicks. Never again.

Only day two and I can tell how much better they feel.

 

[Blooie]

It's dark and I just checked on them, their second night. Both birds tucked just under the front edge of the heating pad. Quiet, quiet, quiet.

I spent quite a bit of time with them throughout today. No pasty butts. No stress. Happy birds preening and jumping on and off high things. More trilling than I've ever heard. Eating and drinking whenever it suits them. They are so happy and relaxed that they aren't afraid of me hovering over the edge to watch or reaching in to touch them. They're already eating out of my hand.

I've had three other batches and they were not this comfortable and confident. They were flighty and seemed like they couldn't focus. Someone was always peeping that loud, unhappy call. Seeing the difference now I can't help but attribute that to being under almost constant stimulus. It's funny- I know how miserable I would be if I had to eat and sleep under constant lights, being knocked about by others until I was so exhausted I couldn't help but fall over where I stood. But I used to think that was normal and ok for chicks. Never again.

Only day two and I can tell how much better they feel.

Amazing to watch, isn't it?

 

[perilloux5]

It's dark and I just checked on them, their second night. Both birds tucked just under the front edge of the heating pad. Quiet, quiet, quiet.

I spent quite a bit of time with them throughout today. No pasty butts. No stress. Happy birds preening and jumping on and off high things. More trilling than I've ever heard. Eating and drinking whenever it suits them. They are so happy and relaxed that they aren't afraid of me hovering over the edge to watch or reaching in to touch them. They're already eating out of my hand.

I've had three other batches and they were not this comfortable and confident. They were flighty and seemed like they couldn't focus. Someone was always peeping that loud, unhappy call. Seeing the difference now I can't help but attribute that to being under almost constant stimulus. It's funny- I know how miserable I would be if I had to eat and sleep under constant lights, being knocked about by others until I was so exhausted I couldn't help but fall over where I stood. But I used to think that was normal and ok for chicks. Never again.

Only day two and I can tell how much better they feel.

Definitely have to agree you about the lights, mine quiet down as soon as it gets starts getting dark and not a peep from them all night. During the day they are running around and scratching through the shavings.

 

[alibabba]

Yay! Glad no one freaked out!

I had a scare, caught a glimpse of a still black lump at the back of the little house.... I sighed and I went to get a dead chick....

It was a lump of landscape fabric! Whew!

This is the bestest! They have perches and fly around. Worm chases on! They are more curious about me and pecked my toes yesterday. Next batch is going outside day 1. So much more manageable and less stress. I'll put in some more pics in a bit.

I did get the inside/ outside thermometer at TSC for 9.99. I know it was down in the low 50's both nights. They went to bed themselves both nights about 7:30, same as the big girls, and were peeping for out at 7 am.

One looks like its missing tail feathers but is the right size and seems to be doing the same things as everyone else... and its wings are feathering a little differently, could it be a boy? Thats a search for another thread...

Where did the heat lamp and hot temperatures come from? Why do they sell Brooder thermometers with all of the "critical" temps and weeks printed in red?

 

[Beekissed]

To scare newbies....