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

[dpenning]

I've been so busy today....I was running around all day trying to find any chicks. I only have the two that hatched so I'd like to add a couple of more, but no place I checked had any. Well, that's not quite true...one place had a bin of Red Sex Links...all pullets...except they were all yellow, every one of them. I shouldn't have said anything, but I did. After I commented that if those were indeed RSL chicks, they were all roosters, the guy dismissed everything else I said. So I had to pull his chain a little. (I really need to pick up smoking again before I make enemies out of the entire world!) First he spent so much time trying to talk me into buying them, and then when I acted like I was considering it he took me over to the display where they had "chick brooder kits" on sale. I just looked at him and said, "It comes with a heat lamp?" He proudly nodded. You should have seen his face when I said I'd never allow a heat lamp in my house, garage or even in my yard. He sorta sniffed and said, "Well, you absolutely need to have a heat lamp. Chicks have very strick (his word) heat requirements." I told him I'd take the chick starter, the pack of vertical nipples and then asked where they kept their heating pads. I don't remember much after that....he shot daggers into me when I told him that's all I use. So I guess I'll order some. Good thing MHP is so quick to accept new babies.

Snip

Could they have been a different breed and been female? I don't speak chicken genetics but I'd be surprised if they had a whole order of roosters from a hatchery.

You don't need to start smoking, they need to educate their employees!

 

[circlehouse]

Went down to 27 last night, 2 day old peeps under mama heating pad did great! Quiet all night and ready for breakfast this morning. Not a sign of pasty butt among them. Yay! Now it's 35 and they are in and out from under MHP just doing their chick things. Water, peck, peck, food, peck, run under MHP, run out... So fun!

 

[Spinning Carrie]

I went out to the garage this morning, all was quiet. I turned on the automatic sun, the little cheeps started then they all came popping out. After a quick drink and bite to eat they scooted back under the MHP.

 

[lazy gardener]

Could they have been a different breed and been female? I don't speak chicken genetics but I'd be surprised if they had a whole order of roosters from a hatchery.

You don't need to start smoking, they need to educate their employees.

Possible that they were mis labeled. They could have been the breed stated, and all male, or they could have been an other breed entirely. It's not at all uncommon to have a bin of meat birds labeled as leghorn pullets. A Maine gal last summer went to a feed store and saw a bin of PBR that were labeled as straight run. There was not a pullet in that whole bin. To add more confusion to the mix when buying chicks from a feed store: the employees are often clueless, and may not even know the difference between a guinea hen and a chicken, let alone be able to identify a chicken breed.

 

[Blooie]

Could they have been a different breed and been female? I don't speak chicken genetics but I'd be surprised if they had a whole order of roosters from a hatchery.

You don't need to start smoking, they need to educate their employees!

Nah, I think they were just what was left over out of a straight run order, and folks who new better picked up all the pullets and left the cockerels behind. There were only about 8 or 9 in there, so not like an entire stock tank full. And they could have been another variety altogether - Buff Orpingtons or something - marked Red Sex Links by mistake. LG pretty much nailed it.

 

[COChix]

Thanks! Things are going great w the MHP, but I had to use the heat lamp w a weakling who was barely alive. Some of the chicks got here in poor shape. The one struggling even has a curled toe. I'm leaving that toe alone for now as she gets stressed out after a feeding.
The others are doing very well. They are still feeling very cozy w the heating pad at 6. They are in the basement w the temp around 60.
Am I the only one who has the HP at 6 on day 2? Just curious, not the least bit concerned

BTW, what's the breed of your avatar? I got 2 chicks just like that.

Sounds like things are going well, how is the struggling one doing now? I had our heat pad on 6 for about a week.

The avatar pic is one of our hatch this year....I believe that one is an EE. Got some good shots of those cute chickies now feathering a lot. They are two weeks old now, we are expecting a winter storm this weekend, they are in an uncovered run....I have heard the forecast predicting as much as 8-12 inches of snow and as little as 3. . Spring in the Rockies.....

I have been slacking and haven't set up a horizontal nipple waterer for them yet. I seemed to have misplaced my extra's and had to order some.

 

[AllynTal]

I ordered 15 and got 18, all alive and active. I took the first one out of the shipping box and bumped its beak on the water nipple. He/she showed the rest and soon there was a gang-pile under the nipples. Then I put down the gro-gel and as each one left the nipples, they attacked the gro-gel. When I came in a little while ago, they were all under the MHP and when I peeked under the blanket, all I could see were a line of downy butts with their little backs pressed to the ceiling.

 

[Blooie]

@COChix you have some kind of windbreak or something rigged out there, don't you? I seem to remember something like that with your first batch of chicks......

 

[COChix]

@COChix
 you have some kind of windbreak or something rigged out there, don't you?  I seem to remember something like that with your first batch of chicks......  

First batch was at our farm spot, this set up is different. But yes we have wind breaks on run of greenhouse skrim, we are putting up another one today on the west side. So they have breaks from north, west and then I have some peel and stick up on the kennel where the MHP is located and then we have some foam board for the roof of kennel that over hangs on the sides...should work. If not I can haul them out of the run and into a tub for a day or two. They have been smart about using the kennel when it has been rainy.

 

[poodlechicks]

W

Sounds like things are going well, how is the struggling one doing now? I had our heat pad on 6 for about a week.

The avatar pic is one of our hatch this year....I believe that one is an EE. Got some good shots of those cute chickies now feathering a lot. They are two weeks old now, we are expecting a winter storm this weekend, they are in an uncovered run....I have heard the forecast predicting as much as 8-12 inches of snow and as little as 3. . Spring in the Rockies.....

I have been slacking and haven't set up a horizontal nipple waterer for them yet. I seemed to have misplaced my extra's and had to order some.

What cute babies. Congrats!
I lost 4 chicks and one is trying very hard to make it. I'm happy I have 11 very active ones. Haven't posted pics yet b/c I have been so busy taking care of the other ones. Soon I will. Hope you get your spring soon!