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

[16 paws]

@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.

Hi Jen,
I dont think the eye is stuck together because I have been applying an antibiotic ointment to the eye and washing it with water. I am going to try and open it today to take a peek in there. The reason I think she is deaf is because she doesnt respond to sounds like the other chicks do. I love your idea with the essential oil on mhp. I had to go down to the coop 4 times last night to put her back in. I figured if she didnt figure it out that I would bring her back in the garage for a while but today she is really surprising me. She is acting much more like her hatch mates and is scratching and kicking food around like a champ. I even moved her water and she found it right away. She is darting in and out of the mhp and acting just like a chick that is happy and content.
I will take one day at a time...
Thanks for your useful suggestions, I really appreciate it.
Marie

 

[Jensownzoo]

Hi Jen,
I dont think the eye is stuck together because I have been applying an antibiotic ointment to the eye and washing it with water. I am going to try and open it today to take a peek in there. The reason I think she is deaf is because she doesnt respond to sounds like the other chicks do. I love your idea with the essential oil on mhp. I had to go down to the coop 4 times last night to put her back in. I figured if she didnt figure it out that I would bring her back in the garage for a while but today she is really surprising me. She is acting much more like her hatch mates and is scratching and kicking food around like a champ. I even moved her water and she found it right away. She is darting in and out of the mhp and acting just like a chick that is happy and content.
I will take one day at a time...
Thanks for your useful suggestions, I really appreciate it.
Marie

You're welcome. Hopefully her condition is just temporary. Head injuries can cause swelling in the brain or around the cranial nerves...some of the damage can be permanent, but some can return to normal function either when the swelling subsides or later since the nervous system is slow to heal. Wishing you the best outcome!

 

[16 paws]

You're welcome. Hopefully her condition is just temporary. Head injuries can cause swelling in the brain or around the cranial nerves...some of the damage can be permanent, but some can return to normal function either when the swelling subsides or later since the nervous system is slow to heal. Wishing you the best outcome!

You know I didnt even think of swelling of the brain. I wonder if that is the reason she is not responding to sound as much as her hatch mates? I do know that the eye that was pecked out was very swollen and is now going down to normal size. Maybe your on to something there....hum
I will post up-dates in the hopes of helping someone else that may have something like this happen.
Marie

 

[henless]

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

With my first MHP, I used a wire cookie rack. I used all thread rods for the legs with nuts, washers & wing nuts to attach them to the rack. I used bungee cords to hold the heating pad under the rack.



Here it is in use:



My last one is twice as big as this one. I fixed it the same way, but used a wire rack I picked up at Walmart. The racks are super sturdy. I adjust the racks so that the front is higher than the back. Depending on how much shavings are around it, the chicks have access on all 4 sides.




I had this out in my coop with 9 EE's under it. Friday, I moved them and 10 Black Stars out into the big coop. Now I have 19 using this large one. Some go under, on top or hang around the edge. I have it on level 1 at night. During the day, it is off. The Black Stars are 4 weeks old and the EE's are 3. Temps have been down in the low 60's for the last couple of weeks with some dips into the 50's. Day temps range from mid 60's to mid 80's.

Most people use what ever they have laying around. I find this is much sturdier than hardware cloth. Everyone uses what works for them. Try something, if it doesn't work, try something else.

Must be something in the air....I did the same thing yesterday!! We came home from Billings and realized that power had gone off briefly! Uh oh! Ran out and got the heating pad turned back on, but forgot to hit the "stay on" button. Went out to do one last check about 9:30 last night and didn't see the glow from the controller. Lifted the cold cave and found them all smooshed in a corner. Luckily nobody got tangled up or smothered, but I sure was grateful for that Insta-heat feature, and I know they were too! Also glad that the straw on top of, underneath, and all around the cave retains some residual warmth for some time after the pad goes off. They're not quite a week old yet! Checked this morning and they are all happy again. We got down to 48, with thunderstorms all night but thankfully the power stayed on.

If MHP has one disadvantage, that would be it. I said I was going to get the same heating pad @henless has but figured with two working pads I just couldn't justify buying another one. The one she has comes back on to it's last setting as soon as power is restored. Might need to rethink things a little bit here......

I can tell you one thing Blooie, my pads have come in mighty handy over the last few weeks. All the storms we've been having, our power has been going on/off pretty regularly. So glad I have these pads. I don't have to worry about heat once the electricity has come back on.

 

[welby1205]

...

With my first MHP, I used a wire cookie rack. I used all thread rods for the legs with nuts, washers & wing nuts to attach them to the rack. I used bungee cords to hold the heating pad under the rack. Here it is in use: My last one is twice as big as this one. I fixed it the same way, but used a wire rack I picked up at Walmart. The racks are super sturdy. I adjust the racks so that the front is higher than the back. Depending on how much shavings are around it, the chicks have access on all 4 sides. I had this out in my coop with 9 EE's under it. Friday, I moved them and 10 Black Stars out into the big coop. Now I have 19 using this large one. Some go under, on top or hang around the edge. I have it on level 1 at night. During the day, it is off. The Black Stars are 4 weeks old and the EE's are 3. Temps have been down in the low 60's for the last couple of weeks with some dips into the 50's. Day temps range from mid 60's to mid 80's. Most people use what ever they have laying around. I find this is much sturdier than hardware cloth. Everyone uses what works for them. Try something, if it doesn't work, try something else. I ended up using the top of a cat carrier.The pad is in the inside. Seems to be working quite well. Wish I could share a pic from my phone.

 

[Jensownzoo]

The hanging pad platforms are working really, really well in case anyone was waiting for an update. No chick suicides thus far and everyone is staying cozy. Even the goslings scoot under theirs at night, although they still like to use it as a swing in the daytime. To check on everybody underneath, I just lift it by the carabiner, do a quick headcount, then lower it right back on the startled chicks before they can scatter.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Has anyone used these for anything? I have the opportunity to purchase some on clearance at $12.99 if they're not all sold out before I can get them...

http://www.amazon.com/Farm-Innovators-HM-60P-Heated-Chicken/dp/B011U58VG8


Farm Innovators Model HM-60P Heated Chicken Mat

 

[Leahs Mom]

Thoughts, please.

Have a group of 6 chicks that range in age from 7-9 weeks old. Another group that will be 3 weeks old on Friday.

Do you think it's too early to try integrating these 2 groups together? I assume that the 3 week olds would still need to have a safe escape fro the 9 week olds...

 

[aart]

Has anyone used these for anything? I have the opportunity to purchase some on clearance at $12.99 if they're not all sold out before I can get them...

http://www.amazon.com/Farm-Innovators-HM-60P-Heated-Chicken/dp/B011U58VG8


Farm Innovators Model HM-60P Heated Chicken Mat

GO for it!!!

 

[aart]

Thoughts, please.

Have a group of 6 chicks that range in age from 7-9 weeks old. Another group that will be 3 weeks old on Friday.

Do you think it's too early to try integrating these 2 groups together? I assume that the 3 week olds would still need to have a safe escape fro the 9 week olds...

Yes, they would....tiny doors, lots of space, etc, etc...keep a close eye on them, might have to do it in sessions at first.