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

[LittleLakePhil]

I was starting to get a lot of stuff going a few things done.... The snow was all gone and bam right back it came.....

 

[mobius]

I was starting to get a lot of stuff going a few things done.... The snow was all gone and bam right back it came.....

I feel your pain!

I was SO impatient to get outside...but at least we have had MHP to see chicks thru the cold....

 

[GardenNut]

They couldn't have been more than 10 days old when I changed from heat lamp to MHP, was that too late? They all seem happy and healthy, they just prefer the roof to the inside. Oddly enough, my grown birds feel the same way about their coop (and no, they've never met). They'll lay eggs inside but judging from the poop they spend their nights on top. At least it's easier to keep clean! So now, instead of a coop they have a 32 Ft[SUP]2[/SUP] nesting box!

I tried giving the chicks their first treat today: A thawed strawberry and some plain yogurt; they wouldn't touch it! So I thought Maybe they aren't ready to take things from my hand yet? and layed it on top of their feeder. A few of them gave it an experimental peck, shook their little heads and ignored it from then on. Well after about an hour it was still untouched, had been dumped on the ground and was covered in wet bedding so I removed it. At least now I know my babies don't like strawberries (at least not those that had been frozen and thawed) or yogurt.

Like I said, my chickens are w ird! 


HEY I just noticed, this is my 100th post!

@FlyWheel if it's any consolation, my 4 BO girls behave the same way at 2.5 weeks. They "roost" on top of MHP and have been for over a week. I think because my house is much warmer at 68 than if they were outside. They won't eat yogurt, fermented food, oatmeal, apple, or bread. Throw some dirt, chickweed, dandelion blossoms, etc. in there though, and they go nuts. Mealworms are a hit too. Then every night right before they go to bed, they have a loud chirping session. I think they want to see if I'll come check on them or bring treats. Who's training who, I wonder?! But they're thriving and happy!

 

[member 373180]

The white stripes can only be that thick in males as they can have two copies of that gene while females can only have one.

Is that true in dominiques as well, do you know? Just stripes in general? Thanks!

 

[aart]

Quote: <thumbsup>

This is my morning... U.P. style

Don't worry Phil.....it'll clear up in time for black fly season. ;-)

I was starting to get a lot of stuff going a few things done.... The snow was all gone and bam right back it came.....

Same here....sigh...

 

[LittleLakePhil]

Oh dang black fly season.....:/

 

[aart]

Oh dang black fly season.....

You be living da dream up der, yah!

 

[LittleLakePhil]

Grew up down your way.... 35 years ago..... Moved here never going back

 

[lalaland]

Well, we're getting 6 chicks tomorrow and the remaining 6 on Tuesday. 3 - Copper marans, 3 - Blue laced red wyandottes, 3 - Buff orpingtons and 3 - Black astrolorps. Got most of the brooder work done. Got a nice big refrigerator box from a friend that works at an appliance store who is also a chicken person. Constructed my cave for the MHP from a tomato cage and some 1/4" HWC. Found the Sunbeam heating pad at Walgreens. Got the waterer, the feeder, chick starter, etc... Still need to pick up some pine shavings. We're getting pretty excited.

I cut the tomato cage down the center and formed it.

Excited to get the first of the babies tomorrow!! Hopefully there won't be any issues with them being a week or so different in age.

I like the tomato cage base - anyone with ideas about how many chicks would work with this size? I have 25 chicks and want something big enough for them. ALthough the pic makes it look like I might need two heating pads in stead of just one

anyone brood 25 with one pad?

 

[aart]

Quote: @TerryH 's looks like a dead end tunnel, narrow and deep rather than wide and shallow, could cause chicks to get trapped.......
.......needs to be squished down lower to ground too.

I've got a 12 x 24 pad laying flat with 16 week olds under it - 10 more could fit, tho for shorter period of time due to growth.