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

[COChix]

Tahiti is not really lowering my expectations, just changing them a tad...


People tend to look up to me and seldom notice my foot        er...

WHAT?! And here we are expecting a foot of snow..... While you are sitting on the beach drinking a beachy type drink with an umbrella in it think of us as we batten down the hatches one more time in Colorado this year. . Enjoy! Oh and some beach pictures might be nice.

 

[COChix]

Snow is flying here. Got up at 6:30 wondering about those baby chicks. So I went out and checked their brooder and it is 75° in there. They were out and about and everything looks dry which is my main concern. I don't really worry about the temperature, given how warm it has been for them. Predictions for snow totals this am are 6-12, hoping for the lesser amount.

 

[aart]

Snow is flying here. Got up at 6:30 wondering about those baby chicks. So I went out and checked their brooder and it is 75° in there. They were out and about and everything looks dry which is my main concern. I don't really worry about the temperature, given how warm it has been for them. Predictions for snow totals this am are 6-12, hoping for the lesser amount.

Oh, UGH!!

 

[beautifulpirate]

Well tomorrow is the day that my Mom gets her 2 - 2 1/2 week old Blue Laced Red Wayndottes. I have brooder #2 setup and ready to go down to her house in the morning complete with MHP #2. My question is, how much do these chicks need heat if they are in the house and for how long will they need the MHP? I've not seen them. Cheryl is picking them up from Muddy Feathers in the morning so no clue of their accrual size or feathering.  Any advice is appreciated. Trying to make this as easy and simple as possible for my favorite 89 year old.

Kind of depends on your ambient air temps. And what the chicks want. You'll see it again and again in this thread. It's really about watching the chicks. If they are staying under or right beside MHP all day long, it needs to be warmer. If they are never going under it at all and stay at the opposite side of the brood box all day, it needs to be cooler. If the room they will be in is already heated, I'd probably set the heating pad to 2 at that age personally. Then see where it needs to be adjusted from there as you watch their actions. Of course it may not be what you want to hear since they will be at your moms and you can't watch them. Also, keep in mind they've been under a heat lamp practically since they were born so the idea of no light and a quiet warm cave might take them some getting used to. So don't take them not adapting to it immediately as a sign that you need to adjust the temp right away. You may put each one in the MHP manually and kind of block their exit just for a moment to show them it's OK in there. Of course, they may take to it immediately. You never know.

 

[COChix]

Oh, UGH!!

Yea, sick of it. I turned my garden beds at the farm spot Wed, it was 80 that day. The flock helped...ready for spring planting.

 

[bruceha2000]

Well I'm glad most of you feel they will be ok even without heat. I have the MHP in there but when I checked in them after dark they were all huddled on the roost bar furthest from the heating pad. But they were quiet and seemed settled so I just left them that way. At least it's not in the 20s so I'll just have another glass of wine tonight and not worry about it

If they are on the roost, you can pull the cave. Once they are sleeping "high" that is where they want to be. And yes, when it is cold, they will all cram together and you would think WHY do I need a full foot of roost for each adult bird? Then summer happens.

So, big ol' hugs for the MHP. I picked up my chickens this morning and they spent the day in the nursery coop.


...

My father-in-law, who is also planning to have some chickens soon, said something today about a brooding lamp when we were talking about the chicken coop. I told him heck no, I don't use a brooding lamp (like I'm some old hand at this and have been doing it for years). I use a heating pad. He's intrigued. We'll talk about it when he comes over to help finish the big coop.

Great! You can move the whole cave to his place and reduce your "$$/hour of use" capital cost

@Blooie you have a cute pair of hatched chicks, but I think you are due to pay the brigade with your new crew.

Yep, true. OK Blooie, where are the pics of the newbies with their MHP?

Snow is flying here. Got up at 6:30 wondering about those baby chicks. So I went out and checked their brooder and it is 75° in there. They were out and about and everything looks dry which is my main concern. I don't really worry about the temperature, given how warm it has been for them. Predictions for snow totals this am are 6-12, hoping for the lesser amount.

Well darn, ANOTHER day of full sun and with a high of 58 today.

Sorry, I just had to post since often it is US talking about the nasty weather and people down south are talking about their "cold" temp of 70 for the day

 

[AllynTal]

Great! You can move the whole cave to his place and reduce your "$$/hour of use" capital cost

Why would I want to do that?

 

[Bowldy45]

Help!! I found this chick this morning with a very pasty butt, and she wont hardly open her eyes. I got her all cleaned up, but still having issues with her eyes. She sits in the brooder and chirps up a storm, even with the other chicks all around her.
Is there something going on that I can do for her? I feel so helpless..

 

[mobius]

Help!! I found this chick this morning with a very pasty butt, and she wont hardly open her eyes. I got her all cleaned up, but still having issues with her eyes. She sits in the brooder and chirps up a storm, even with the other chicks all around her.
Is there something going on that I can do for her? I feel so helpless..

You may want to post over in the Emergencies section....start with electrolytes or sav-a-chik, or failing that some warm water with a little sugar or honey, on a q-tip, touched to her beak. Maybe swab her eyes with clean water just to make sure they are not stuck shut...she is so tiny...thinking about keeping her warm and content, if it were me I would put on a hoodie sweatshirt and carry her in side the front pocket with me...comfort/warmth, cause it sounds like distress peeeping...

 

[hpierce88]

So I've got my MHP set up in a large (airline approved type) dog kennel, using the XL Sunbeam heating pad as recommended, covered with the press 'n seal (holy cow, that is some pretty nifty stuff!!), and a towel over the whole thing covering the back of the arch and overhanging a bit in the front, pine shavings as the flooring, and pine shavings on top of the MHP so it adds a whole other level of "floor space," but the indoor/outdoor thermometer is telling me it's only 78 degrees in there, with only 1% humidity. There's 10 chicks in there that I just brought home today. They are huddled in the back corner together, with the exception of two who don't seem that sleepy right now hanging out near the front, and all is quiet right now, with the occasional little, soft toned peep peep. Does that mean they're okay with the temp? A little while ago they were all out and about eating and checking things out - one even tried to get on top of the MHP, but she's not quite big enough yet, and all the little wing-flapping she was doing was futile with those little wing-nubs. It was so cute. Such a valiant attempt. I have the heating pad on setting 6, the highest it will go.

Just checked on them again....temp says 80 now. Still only 1% humidity, which is weird since the rest of the house is at 34%. Maybe the pine shavings affect that?

Thanks,

Heather
Southeastern CT

Breeds: 6 Speckled Sussex, 2 Buff Orps, 1 Red Cross, 1 Barred Rock. I am also waiting on 2 Silver-laced Wyandottes coming in Mon/Tue.