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

[MichelleT]

Michelle, if you read my article on brooding outdoors, linked below in my signature line, it will answer a lot of your questions.

Is there any way you can set up your brooding safe pen in your run? That's what I do. My run is covered and I have panels that shelter from cold drafts. Even though spring temperatures where I live are quite cool, chicks do splendidly. The run is where the adult flock spends most of their time, so chicks brooded in the run get maximum exposure to the flock which expedites integration.

Since I brood the chicks in my run from day one, the chicks are ready to start mingling with the adults as early as two weeks old. The secret is the "panic room". There are pictures in my article, but it involves little portals that open into the main run from the chick pen. The chicks find a safe haven inside the panic room when the adults get too much for them.

By age five weeks, the chicks are done with the MHP and move into the coop with the adults. This method is practically fool proof and very safe for the chicks. The article explains why it works so well and the chicks are able to integrate at such an early age when everyone else is insisting you need to wait until chicks are nearly full grown before you put them in with the adults.

Perfect, and thank you! Sometimes it seems as though I spend hours searching for something that I KNOW is out there and I don't find it. (Okay, it's probably not HOURS...)
I just need a point in the right direction.
I'll read these articles and set up accordingly. Yes, we can definitely set up the brooding area in the run. I just wasn't sure about night-time temps and now you've answered that question. Thanks again!

 

[lazy gardener]

Thank you everyone for your kind words regarding my sister. Her name was Georgie Lee, so I've decided to name one of the chicks LeeLee in her honor, since she was so excited about them.

I do have a question about one of my chicks. When they got here today and I first opened the box, they all seemed healthy except for one tiny one. It was frantically turning and pecking at it's backside, and would fall over. It was hard for this first-time chick Mama to tell if it was falling over because it was weak, or if it was dizzy because of the spinning to try to reach its bottom. As I was taking them out of the box and checking them, I saw that it was the only one of the 8 that had a pasty butt. It took quite a bit of warm water to loosen it up to get it clean, but as soon as its vent came open it shot out 2 separate BIG poops one right after the other. I then tucked it under the MHP. It hasnt come out with the others to eat and drink, but it did move from one side of the MHP to the other. They arrived around 4:30 this afternoon, and all had been checked, given a drink, and tucked under the MHP an hour later. They are all settled in for the night, so I don't want to disturb them if I don't have to. But is there anything else I should do for the little one now? Or should I just wait and see how it's doing in the morning? I'd sure appreciate some advice!

Donna

Donna, here's a recipe for home made GatorAid/Pedialyte.

Homemade Pedialyte Recipe #2

1. 4 cups water.
2. 1/2 teaspoon baking soda.
3. 3 tablespoons sugar or honey (remember that babies can't have honey until they're at least 1 year old)
4. 1/2 teaspoon salt.
5. optional: 1/2 packet (old fashioned) unsweetened Kool-Aid.

IMO, PND is by far the most important thing you can give your chicks to get them off to a healthy start. Hydration with addition of sugar and PND are the best you can give this little one. Be sure the water is warm. That way, she won't be expending precious energy to warm it up. You could also mix some of your starter feed with some sugar water. She may be more likely to eat it that way.

I started my shipped chicks on a combination of PND and home made lytes without the koolaid. Second day, they went straight to PND. Now they are getting it every other day, and will decrease frequency until they have access to fresh ground in a tractor. An other important thing you can give them is a plug of sod from an untreated lawn. As others have stated, some chicks, especially shipped chicks simply fail to thrive, and must be culled. IMO, it is better to cull a sick/weak chick than to let it die a slow lingering death.

Never let any water that has anything added to it sit in the brooder for more than 24 hours, as it is a breeding ground for bacteria.

 

[ChxLadyCass]

Blooie is right. Only one thing im The water. Give the other supplements on the side. put your Nutri drench *or* your apple cider vinegar ...one or the other... in the water. then give the birds a treat of some yogurt. leave it in no longer than 10 minutes so it doesn't spoil under the hot light. that will give them their probiotics and it's very natural . I like Okios triple zero vanilla yogurt. It is very pure for babies.
Karen

I'd be lying if I said I could answer that - I don't know anything about using Pedialyte for chicks. Maybe someone will chime in. I always hate when I can't answer a question, but I'd 10 times rather admit it than give bad advice. Sorry I can't be more helpful.

Hello! I have some Nutri-Drench and Electrolytes on hand for my chicks. They will be transported for just an hour's drive, but in case it wears on them, can either of you tell me how much about to put in 1 quart of water? I guessed maybe just one pump for the Nutri-Drench, but am working on my conversion skills! Any advice would be appreciated.

Question: When do you all start turning down, or removing your MHP for older chicks? I have adjusted the height on my MHP to fit my giant chicks and have turned it down to medium. The mess they made over the weekend indicates they have lost all of their fluff! Days are 80 degrees, nights can be anywhere from low 40's to 50's. They are in the garage until the new coop is finished (this weekend hopefully). I'd like to use the MHP for the new babies, but have a lamp also to use until I wean the big girls off the MHP. Thoughts? Thank you much!!

 

[DonnaFreak]

Well this morning I went out to the coop to check on my chicks. As soon as I opened the door, the little fuzzy butts came pouring out from under MHP. I did a count and there were 7, not 8. With a sinking heart I raised up the MHP to look for the little weak one. It was nowhere to be found! I looked all around the outside of the dog kennel they're in, just in case she had somehow found a way to escape. Nothing. So I peeled back the layers of paper towels, and knew I was about to see its little body when my fingertips touched something fuzzy. Imagine my surprise when the little booger popped up out of the shavings as soon as it was uncovered and waddled toward me! :yiipchick

She's still not acting quite right, but she immediately started eating! She ate and ate and ate until I picked her up and dipped her beak in the Pedialite. Then she went on a drinking spree. She was STILL drinking when all the others started moseying back toward the MHP about five minutes later. I let her drink for another minute or so, then tucked her back up under the MHP with the others.

About 30 minutes later a couple of friends stopped by to see the babies. I took them out to the coop, and the babies were still under the MHP, but curiousity got the better of them and they came to check us out...all except for the tiny one. The little snot had burrowed back under the paper towels again! I guess she has decided that that's her spot!

I'll go back out and check on them again in a couple of hours. When I do, should I let Little Miss Tiny drink her fill, or should I tuck her back under MHP when the others go back in? Maybe I have nothing to worry about, but is it possible that in her weakened state she's getting confused and trying to fill up on whatever is in front of her, whether it's solids or liquids? She honestly spent much more time drinking than she did eating! Should I move her from the food to the Pedialyte again, or leave her alone? If I do move her, how long should I let her drink before tucking her back under the MHP with the others? Or should I just leave her alone until/if she stops drinking?

Thanks so much for all of the advice y'all. I appreciate it so much! This is so much fun!!!

Donna

 

[Blooie]

Donna, I have an appointment in a few minutes so can't really sit down at the moment. If someone else doesn't chime in by the time I get back, I'll be very surprised! See you all in a little bit....

 

[lazy gardener]

Well this morning I went out to the coop to check on my chicks. As soon as I opened the door, the little fuzzy butts came pouring out from under MHP. I did a count and there were 7, not 8. With a sinking heart I raised up the MHP to look for the little weak one. It was nowhere to be found! I looked all around the outside of the dog kennel they're in, just in case she had somehow found a way to escape. Nothing. So I peeled back the layers of paper towels, and knew I was about to see its little body when my fingertips touched something fuzzy. Imagine my surprise when the little booger popped up out of the shavings as soon as it was uncovered and waddled toward me!

She's still not acting quite right, but she immediately started eating! She ate and ate and ate until I picked her up and dipped her beak in the Pedialite. Then she went on a drinking spree. She was STILL drinking when all the others started moseying back toward the MHP about five minutes later. I let her drink for another minute or so, then tucked her back up under the MHP with the others.

About 30 minutes later a couple of friends stopped by to see the babies. I took them out to the coop, and the babies were still under the MHP, but curiousity got the better of them and they came to check us out...all except for the tiny one. The little snot had burrowed back under the paper towels again! I guess she has decided that that's her spot!

I'll go back out and check on them again in a couple of hours. When I do, should I let Little Miss Tiny drink her fill, or should I tuck her back under MHP when the others go back in? Maybe I have nothing to worry about, but is it possible that in her weakened state she's getting confused and trying to fill up on whatever is in front of her, whether it's solids or liquids? She honestly spent much more time drinking than she did eating! Should I move her from the food to the Pedialyte again, or leave her alone? If I do move her, how long should I let her drink before tucking her back under the MHP with the others? Or should I just leave her alone until/if she stops drinking?

Thanks so much for all of the advice y'all. I appreciate it so much! This is so much fun!!!

Donna

Donna, I'd be concerned about her getting stuck in the paper toweling. IMO, she's drinking so much b/c she's getting over heated. She may burrow in there, and not be able to find her way back out. Are the paper towels placed over the MHP?

 

[DonnaFreak]

Donna, I'd be concerned about her getting stuck in the paper toweling.  IMO, she's drinking so much b/c she's getting over heated.  She may burrow in there, and not be able to find her way back out.  Are the paper towels placed over the MHP?  

No, the paper towels are on top of the shavings until they get used to what is food and what isn't. Also to give them better traction. I have an old bath towel on top of the MHP. By burrowing under the paper towels, she is actually farther from the heat.

I just went out and checked on them. She's not doing well at all. If anything, she's worse than she was this morning. If she makes it to night time, I'll be very surprised. And she's the only Silkie I ordered.

Donna

 

[aart]

A great MHP shot thought I'd share.....

My newest iteration of MHP,
16 x 20 baker rack and cardboard top per @lpyrbby ,
Tnuts for leg adjustment hot glued to rack(inspired by @lazy gardener using hot glue on wire edges),
pad held under rack (first time for me) with mini bungies.
Don't like that pad is 4" wider and ~4" shorter than pad, but it might work out.

 

[lpyrbby]

A great MHP shot thought I'd share..... My newest iteration of MHP, 16 x 20 baker rack and cardboard top per @lpyrbby , Tnuts for leg adjustment hot glued to rack(inspired by @lazy gardener using hot glue on wire edges), pad held under rack (first time for me) with mini bungies. Don't like that pad is 4" wider and ~4" shorter than pad, but it might work out.

I STILL haven't set my contraption up with the pad yet. Things never seem yo follow the timeline in your head. Anywho. I should be sharing some mhp love by this weekend, hopefully. I haven't fully decided on how I'm attaching the pad to the rack since i never think about the bungies in the store. Glad to see yours in use

 

[aart]

Quote: One thing I didn't like about the 'pad-under' design was the fat and clunky bungies.....
.....but I had some 10" bungies and got some more that were 6 & 8" at the hardware store.
Worked pretty slick, and took care of the pad being longer than the rack(I think)...we'll see how it holds up long term.