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

[perilloux5]

So here I am after midnight thinking they were dead because it's so quiet. I turned their light on and they all stirred, preened a bit and nibbled a bit but when I turned the light off they settled down quickly, no fuss. Hope I am doing the right thing. It's about 68 in here.

Yes, you are. Without the harsh light on 24/7 they start to settle down when it starts getting dark and you do not hear too many peeps out of them until it gets light again. This more realistically simulates what would happen if they were being raised by a hen. The main thing is they get used to settling down when it starts getting dark. No more chicks peeping all night long.

 

[Silver Chick]

Great Idea ^-^

 

[mothersdream]

Thanks perilloux5.

I was thinking the light on all night wouldn't be good for them but without a "mamma" to keep them warm or snuggle with I worried. Funny thing, they didn't huddle together like I thought they might.

 

[perilloux5]

If they get cold they will bed down together and make their own heater. It took a few days to get mine to go under the heating pad and when I reached down and started scooping them under the pad they were hot from the accumulated body heat. Just check on them for a couple of nights and if they are not bunched together then they are not cold.

 

[Blooie]

They're learning to be chickens!!

 

[maybaby45]

So I'm getting day old chicks this week and trying this. It is currently 60 here at night so I might not need the pad up as high? Or will they just move out if they get too hot?

 

[Blooie]

If you have the Sunbeam one as recommended then you can start out at 5 or even 6 and see how they do. Day olds need more heat than older chicks. I think you and your chicks are going to be very happy with this! Are you brooding them indoors or out? If they get too warm they'll move toward the front of the "cave" and even spend time on top of it. Just because you don't see them hiding in there all the time doesn't mean they aren't using it. They don't spend every minute under Mama Hen, either. So don't panic if you don't see them under it all the time.

 

[maybaby45]

Im keeping them indoors at least a week so I can finish up the coop. I just didn't want to bake the poor things. LOL I did get a sunbeam pad like was posted so I will try out 6 and go from there.

I just checked and they are marked as shipped on the Meyers website! We are so excited!

 

[Blooie]

If you've read the thread, you know the drill - PICTURES!

 

[maybaby45]

Definately!