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

[lpyrbby]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/...rooder-and-start-raising-your-chicks-outdoors

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/aggressive-baby-chicks-and-how-to-stop-the-behavior

Thanks for the links. I've read the first one which has encouraged me to add an in-coop brooder to the new coop. I'll try to make the portals as well. At this point, at 8 weeks (9 by this weekend), the chicks are pretty large in comparison so portals seem a bit late for them. I think I'm at the point now of opening doors and letting the birds free range in the yard and letting the pecking order unfold. I'll try to have hiding spots, but with the a-hole chick, he's going to seek out a fight and probably get murdered.

The second link deals with younger chicks with "aggression" for different reasons, I think.

My husband took this on the 20th. He's not shy about challenging them and didn't care on Sunday when he about got dragged through the chain link into their run. I'll try to do some more searches to see if I can find others dealing with what seems like an especially assertive/dominant chick.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

I do tape the edges of my frames, but then the frames and HP are enclosed in a pillow case that I sewed to fit the pad/frame, so there are no sticky OR sharp edges to contend with. I then use painter's tape to wrap around the pillow case in several locations to keep the pillow case from billowing down and possibly catching a chick. I find that the painters tape sticks nicely to the fabric, and does not come loose during the entire use period, but when it's time to disassemble, it does not leave any sticky residue.

For those of you using the smaller pad, I wonder if one of those rectangular wire office in/out baskets would be the right size.

Funny you should mention the baskets -- I was at goodwill the other day considering different options for my MHP and had a couple of styles of these in my hand at different times comparing them to a few other options --- they look like they'd work rather well and could easily be raised as needed to adjust the height. My only concern on one was the at the cutout at the one end was rather small so it would make for a very tight "door", but the other ones looked like strong contenders for the smaller heat pads (mine is the larger one and I never did decide on anything yet, going back to see what new treasures they have this week, lol)

 

[debid]

The cutout tends to be on the short side, too. I wanted my entrance on the length of the pad, not the width. But I did look at the scrapbook organization section (12x12 paper sorters) and found only plastic.

I think the closest I got to buying something was a wire cabinet shelf. https://www.dollartree.com/Essentials-White-Wire-Cabinet-Shelves/p367338/index.pro
The local DT didn't have them in stock and I didn't want 24. Target had them but $7 seemed a bit overpriced for something I intended to bend into a chick-pleasing cave.

 

[TexasLisa]

The cutout tends to be on the short side, too. I wanted my entrance on the length of the pad, not the width. But I did look at the scrapbook organization section (12x12 paper sorters) and found only plastic.

I think the closest I got to buying something was a wire cabinet shelf. https://www.dollartree.com/Essentials-White-Wire-Cabinet-Shelves/p367338/index.pro
The local DT didn't have them in stock and I didn't want 24. Target had them but $7 seemed a bit overpriced for something I intended to bend into a chick-pleasing cave.

Check out Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/ClosetMaid-3...TF8&qid=1488374679&sr=8-2&keywords=Wire+Shelf

Dimensions: 8.4 x 16.2 x 5.7 inches

Cost: $4.98

 

[aart]

Quote:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/aggressive-baby-chicks-and-how-to-stop-the-behavior

Thanks for the links. I've read the first one which has encouraged me to add an in-coop brooder to the new coop. I'll try to make the portals as well. At this point, at 8 weeks (9 by this weekend), the chicks are pretty large in comparison so portals seem a bit late for them. I think I'm at the point now of opening doors and letting the birds free range in the yard and letting the pecking order unfold. I'll try to have hiding spots, but with the a-hole chick, he's going to seek out a fight and probably get murdered.

The second link deals with younger chicks with "aggression" for different reasons, I think.

My husband took this on the 20th. He's not shy about challenging them and didn't care on Sunday when he about got dragged through the chain link into their run. I'll try to do some more searches to see if I can find others dealing with what seems like an especially assertive/dominant chick.

Yes, portals (or Tiny Doors as I like to call them) are best employed starting very young (1-2 weeks even)
to take advantage of the size difference and the fact that tiny chicks seem to be less of a threat to the older birds.
I brooded chicks in coop from 1 week, opened tiny doors at 3-4 weeks, and by 6 weeks let them all be together with 'retreat area' removed.

Free range sounds like your best option at this point.
I probably missed most the story, but is the AH chick a male?
Best of cLuck!

 

[casportpony]

How about using something like this for the edges of the wire? Google "sheet metal edging"

Links please? To all...I deleted most the photos in the quote just because it makes sense..don't need to see them ALL again.

I'll have to go back and see if I can find the links.

 

[debid]

Check out Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/ClosetMaid-3456-Large-Shelf-White/dp/B00AES2XB2/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1488374679&sr=8-2&keywords=Wire+Shelf

Dimensions:  [COLOR=333333]8.4 x 16.2 x 5.7 inches[/COLOR]

[COLOR=333333]Cost:  $4.98[/COLOR]

Oh, mine is already done. I used a broken tomato cage and scrap hardware cloth to make a framework. Cost, $0!

 

[casportpony]

Links added to all edge trim pictures:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...ooder-picture-heavy-update/8620#post_18125822

 

[aart]

How about using something like this for the edges of the wire? Google "sheet metal edging"




https://www.amazon.com/Black-large-height-0-656-Height-0-178/dp/B00BFWUZ2K

This is probably the most viable choice....as it's available by the foot on amazon.
I have searched for this stuff before and never found one available to the 'layman'.
Great info on the product too.
It's funny, I used to work in an extrusion plant that made this stuff, we called it 'pinch welt'.

The others seem to be industrial sources that usually only deal in large quantities to industrial customers.

 

[lpyrbby]

Yes, portals (or Tiny Doors as I like to call them) are best employed starting very young (1-2 weeks even)
to take advantage of the size difference and the fact that tiny chicks seem to be less of a threat to the older birds.
I brooded chicks in coop from 1 week, opened tiny doors at 3-4 weeks, and by 6 weeks let them all be together with 'retreat area' removed.

Free range sounds like your best option at this point.
I probably missed most the story, but is the AH chick a male?
Best of cLuck!

Yeah, AH chick, I thought was my black sex link, but the more it grows, the more rooster features it displays, both visually and behaviorally.