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

[welby1205]

Welcome!  Actually you don't want a dome shape.  That puts the heating pad too far away from the chicks, especially in the center where it arches, and it also makes it difficult for them to get up on top the way they like to do.  

My frame is just a bit of wire fencing bent over into kinda like this shape:  \______/    I bungeed the heating pad on the inside, then flipped it over.  You want the heating pad to come into close contact with the chicks' backs.  A towel covered with Press 'n Seal on top and it's good to go.  (Press 'n Seal is optional)  

You know that photos of your setup and your chicks is your dues payment, right?    

Edited:  @Jensownzoo
 beat me to it!  

Yes, I've read through and understand the shape, just didn't know what to call it! That's the shape of the cat carrier that I thought was a brilliant idea, maybe I can put bricks behind it to block it. I'm trying not to over think it too much. No chicks yet, wanted to bring some home today, but got their bedding and food instead. I've tried putting a pic in my comments here, but it isn't working.
Plus the heating pad doesn't come until tomorrow.

 

[bruceha2000]

Welcome! Actually you don't want a dome shape. That puts the heating pad too far away from the chicks, especially in the center where it arches, and it also makes it difficult for them to get up on top the way they like to do.

My frame is just a bit of wire fencing bent over into kinda like this shape: \______/ I bungeed the heating pad on the inside, then flipped it over. You want the heating pad to come into close contact with the chicks' backs. A towel covered with Press 'n Seal on top and it's good to go. (Press 'n Seal is optional)

You know that photos of your setup and your chicks is your dues payment, right?

Edited: @Jensownzoo beat me to it!

And the side of the pad with writing (at least with the Sunbeam Xpress Heat pads) is the side you want showing so the chicks can snuggle up against it with their backs. On mine it is brown. It is the warmer side.

 

[welby1205]

I'm just wondering what to use for the structure, already have a pad

 

[Mini Meat]

Quote: Okay, I'll start one soon, maybe tonight.
Thank you.

 

[junebuggena]

I'm just wondering what to use for the structure, already have a pad

The frame for the pad needs to be adjustable, so that you can make it taller as the chicks grow. That's why a lot of use are just using some scrap wire fencing as the pad frame. It's easy to bend, and if it needs to be a bit taller, just press the sides in. If it needs to be lower, you just smoosh it down a bit. And it's sturdy enough for chicks to sit on.

 

[16 paws]

Ok I have a problem that most likely hasnt come up yet. I am brooding 3 two week old chicks with the mama heat pad cave outside in my run. One of the chicks is blind and also may be deaf. She was attacked either by a squirrel or the bigger chickens and they pecked out one eye and she wont open the other. She was with mama at the time but mama could not protect her because the squirrel dug a hole under the hardware cloth and she got out and was attacked. Does that make sense so far? I put her in the brooder with 2 other of her hatch mates so she would not be alone and I thought they could help teach her things. I had to take her away from Mama because she was not keeping up and mama wasnt warming her enough.
She keeps wandering out of the mhp and getting lost. I dont think she can tell if its day or night. I hate to bring her back up and put her under a heat lamp. She might get too hot if she cant find a way to get far enough away from it. I dont want to give up on her because she is a fighter and wants to live. She is smaller than the rest of the hatch mates but she is eating and drinking. Please feel free to offer any advice besides putting her down.
Thanks
Marie

 

[Beekissed]

I'm curious as to the expected quality of life for a blind and deaf chick? Even if it managed to eat, drink and grow how will it survive among a flock? It's highly unlikely they will not pick on this bird and isolate it from the flock. It seems they might have already started...if a mother hen won't warm a chick and others have already attacked it to the point as to blind it, could be it has something wrong with it to the degree they want it gone. That's natural among a flock, so not really a mean thing on their part.

Other than using a heat lamp on it, I don't really see a solution for that problem.

 

[Blooie]

x2. I hate to say it but I think she's not going to survive well on her own, just as Bee said. If she's blind and deaf, how are the other chicks supposed to be able to teach her things? If they wander away, she won't even know where they are to follow...

I know it goes against the grain - we all want to save the weaker or injured ones, but sometimes we have to think seriously about if we're doing it for them or for us. As unkind as it might sound, if it was my chick I'd cull her. But then, easy for me to say - I probably should have culled Scout when he got frostbite, but he could still take care of his basic needs. His senses weren't impaired, just his feet, and he hobbled along on them just fine.

I'm sorry. Good luck, whatever you decide to do.

 

[Jensownzoo]

@16 paws Can the lid on the eye she holds closed be lifted? If the eyelids are stuck together by dried goo, she wouldn't be able to open it.

Why do you think she might be deaf?

The only thing I can think of to do if she is truly blind/deaf is to make the brooder very narrow and long. That way she is never far from a wall and might ba able to use it to navigate. If chickens had a better sense of smell, I'd say put a drop of an essential oil on the MHP...then they could find it by navigating via strength of scent.

 

[Leahs Mom]

I also knew someone that thought their bird was blind..it was also attacked.

But within a week as the eye was healing, the bird began to be able to open the eye and was able to see. It had just been injured, but did heal.