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

[FlyWheel]

<Snip!>
Anyway point being, most people advocate putting them in the brooder in outdoor coop, with MHP, at just a few days old, not 2-3 weeks. Ours were fully integrated in the flock by 4 weeks, really by 3 weeks. Amazing difference from the usual method of keeping them isolated until large enough to stand up to the adults. A beautiful method.

best wishes,
--V

The way I integrated my August batch with the older birds may also be doable in your case. As mentioned before, introduce them as soon as they can take the outdoor temps, but keep them physically separated from the older birds. I used a large dog cage (cover the top so they don't get pooped on). Once the coop was finished I had to lock all the birds into the coop while I built the run, and that is when I integrated them; All the older birds and the August batch went in together, no cages.

They were all so interested in checking out their new home they were too busy to notice the new birds were freely roaming among them and they all got along great. Nor have there been any squabbles since.

 

[Victoria-nola]

The way I integrated my August batch with the older birds may also be doable in your case. As mentioned before, introduce them as soon as they can take the outdoor temps, but keep them physically separated from the older birds. I used a large dog cage (cover the top so they don't get pooped on). Once the coop was finished I had to lock all the birds into the coop while I built the run, and that is when I integrated them; All the older birds and the August batch went in together, no cages.

They were all so interested in checking out their new home they were too busy to notice the new birds were freely roaming among them and they all got along great. Nor have there been any squabbles since.

That sounds good, but I just want to testify that the simple method of placing the brooder enclosure inside the coop and letting them see each other for a couple of weeks, then making small openings in the brooder so that only the littles can get out and in, we had zero problems. The method, the simple method as outlined by Blooie and others, really totally works.

What held me back from adding more chickens earlier was fear of integration of the littles and bigs. We'd one time done the old school thing of growing the littles up to be the same size as the bigs before ever moving to integrate, and we did it well and there was no bloodshed or anything, and they've been tight ever since. But the method, and I'm just stating this for new readers of this thread, the simple method of early integration under more natural circumstances, really totally works and it's so much less work on the part of the humans. So much less work, and the chickens themselves are so much happier not cooped up separately for months. I'll be happy to answer any questions folks may have.

--Victoria

 

[aart]

What held me back from adding more chickens earlier was fear of integration of the littles and bigs. We'd one time done the old school thing of growing the littles up to be the same size as the bigs before ever moving to integrate, and we did it well and there was no bloodshed or anything, and they've been tight ever since. But the method, and I'm just stating this for new readers of this thread, the simple method of early integration under more natural circumstances, really totally works and it's so much less work on the part of the humans. So much less work, and the chickens themselves are so much happier not cooped up separately for months. I'll be happy to answer any questions folks may have.

--Victoria

Double Ditto Dat!!!

 

[ChickNanny13]

MICRO update (2wks 4 days), wasn't able to save the tiniest

So it's now 37. Feather Footed & Fermented Feeding = very messy chicks & alot of extra cleaning. Raising these on dry feed & they still get their feet cleaned everyday. The potty pads were "cheap" and I got what I paid for, not very absorbent but better than shavings in the water & newspaper. Need to upgrade next time around. Sorry for all the pics, had to "show off" these cuties.

 

[3riverschick]

oh they are just adorable! What breeds are they?
cuties!!
karen

 

[ChickNanny13]

Seramas & Silkies per the breeder, she gets them back at 6 - 8wks.
Their personalities are starting to show, somehow I always get attached to a Cockerel. There are many times the tiniest hop up on the MHP then jump in the middle of the bunch eating, scattering everyone. There's one that loves to bathe in the food dish, the others start picking feed off of it & this goes on for as long as it's in the food dish. They are my relaxation therapy in the afternoons.

 

[Blooie]

@ChickNanny13 You just paid lifetime membership in the Broody Brigade! So stinkin' cute!

 

[ChickNanny13]

@ChickNanny13 You just paid lifetime membership in the Broody Brigade! So stinkin' cute!

Thank you!
Unfortunately this is what I discovered this afternoon Don't understand since all was well yesterday (pics were taken Sat). It sometimes walks on it's 'forearm' but will also walk normal. The toes will flex out but curls inward also. When it 'sits' up, ends up on it's side (right more than left) and has a problem getting up. Crop was empty this afternoon so I supervised it's eating & drinking, it would get pushed/bumped out of the way. Then it got up & walked normally under the MHP? I tried separating it from the rest, it really stressed out so I put it back, ate more then went under the MHP. I'm stumped as to what the problem is....Splayed? Will post in Emergency/Disease/Injuries....

 

[Shezadandy]

Thank you!
Unfortunately this is what I discovered this afternoon Don't understand since all was well yesterday (pics were taken Sat). It sometimes walks on it's 'forearm' but will also walk normal. The toes will flex out but curls inward also. When it 'sits' up, ends up on it's side (right more than left) and has a problem getting up. Crop was empty this afternoon so I supervised it's eating & drinking, it would get pushed/bumped out of the way. Then it got up & walked normally under the MHP? I tried separating it from the rest, it really stressed out so I put it back, ate more then went under the MHP. I'm stumped as to what the problem is....Splayed? Will post in Emergency/Disease/Injuries....

This baby needs chick shoes. It has curled toes. I had one come out like this and it wouldn't stop crying or sleep.. until I set its toes straight. I did it within a couple hours of hatch.

Miss Prissy's post #2 has a perfect picture of what to do. You can either use 2 sticky parts of the bandaid or if you want, you can use part of the bandaid box on the bottom and just the sticky on top. Please do this as soon as you can- it should improve dramatically. Spread the toes like you see a normal chick's toes- it's delicate. But worth it! Mine fixed overnight, literally. You can also add some Vitamin D, but the chick shoes work fast and well.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/51112/chick-with-curled-toes

 

[aart]

Shoes maybe and vitamins....give it a nutritional boost with some Chick Saver or Nutridrench.