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

[Blooie]

Taking a break from your regularly scheduled chat to bring you the following notification:

I wanted to tell you all what I received in the mail today, but first I need to explain how it came about. Every time I had talked to my sister over the past couple of months, she had asked me when my chicks would be here, and wanted to know if she could come see them after they arrived. I think she was almost as excited about them as I was! Last Monday was when my sister was killed by the prescription drug Xarelto. And wouldn't you know it...my chicks arrived the very next day, so she never got to see them.

Several months ago i asked on here where i could order my chicks without having to get 25 at a time. Blooie recommended My Pet Chicken, and I placed my order with them. On Wednesday, I called My Pet Chicken. I told them what had happened with my sister, and thanked them for helping to make a horrible time in my life a bit more bearable. Today I received a package from My Pet Chicken. Inside was a sympathy card with a very sweet handwritten note from the young lady who took my call. They also sent me a book on taking care of chickens and told me they wanted me to have it in memory of my sister. There aren't many companies that would do something like this for one of their customers. I am very touched that they would do something like this for me. Needless to say, I WILL be buying from them again!

Donna

I'm going to tag @MyPetChicken ...... Alex, are you there? You need to see this!!!

That is so sweet, Donna!

 

[lazy gardener]

W
Quote: 2 weeks old today. And I'm a bit surprised. b/c the suspected cockrel is one that I was fairly confident was a pullet based on feather coloring, and the outcome of last year's chicks. Time will tell. I tell you what. I don't think I'll take the time to sew any more "custom" pillow cases for the heating pad/frames. So much easier to simply take a scrap of sheeting, and glue it to the pad/frame. If you do so, be sure to wrap the pad with paper toweling or some other material first so you don't get any glue melt down surprises on the pad it'self. One other thing I might do is try gluing a piece of heavy plastic to the frame next year. That would cut down on the amount of "dust" that filters through the pad wrappings.

Taking a break from your regularly scheduled chat to bring you the following notification:

I wanted to tell you all what I received in the mail today, but first I need to explain how it came about. Every time I had talked to my sister over the past couple of months, she had asked me when my chicks would be here, and wanted to know if she could come see them after they arrived. I think she was almost as excited about them as I was! Last Monday was when my sister was killed by the prescription drug Xarelto. And wouldn't you know it...my chicks arrived the very next day, so she never got to see them.

Several months ago i asked on here where i could order my chicks without having to get 25 at a time. Blooie recommended My Pet Chicken, and I placed my order with them. On Wednesday, I called My Pet Chicken. I told them what had happened with my sister, and thanked them for helping to make a horrible time in my life a bit more bearable. Today I received a package from My Pet Chicken. Inside was a sympathy card with a very sweet handwritten note from the young lady who took my call. They also sent me a book on taking care of chickens and told me they wanted me to have it in memory of my sister. There aren't many companies that would do something like this for one of their customers. I am very touched that they would do something like this for me. Needless to say, I WILL be buying from them again!

Donna

Donna, that is real sweet.

 

[chicken curious]

Paying dues

Second iteration of my MHP for this batch (posted pics a few days ago)

The youngest are still figuring out walking, water and food, but they are so safe from being stepped on by the week olds when in the MHP. They are all so HAPPY!

 

[DonnaFreak]

My babies are a week old!

Those tiny little tail feathers!

Donna

 

[chicken curious]

Tiny tails are so cute! I'm also a sucker for feathered legs even though I know they end up gross on the adults when it's sloppy here.

 

[FishingMT]

Will this work for ducks & geese? What do you do when the geese & ducks don't fit underneath the pad anymore & start out growing the heating pad? I have 4 runner ducks 2 jumbo pekin & 3 geese coming June from Metzer, I really love the heating pad idea over lights. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

[junebuggena]

I used it for ducklings just a few weeks ago. They used it pretty consistently for the first week. By the time they were about 2.5 weeks old, they had stopped using it entirely, preferring an unheated cardboard huddle box. They moved outside to their coop at 3 weeks.

 

[DonnaFreak]

Well y'all...this first time chicken Mama is having a blast! I'm seeing that the individual personalities of my chicks are starting to shine! Lacey (SLW), Oprah Henfrey (Black Jersey Giant), Fluffy (Mottled Cochin Bantam), Lee-Lee (Mille Fleur Duccle), and Buffy (Buff Orpington) will now eat out of my hand. Lacey runs to the door as soon as I open it to see me, inspect my hands for food, then walks into one hand so I can pet her with the other. Oprah Henfrey wants to be petted, but isn't too sure about it yet. Fluffy (dgd Lily's chick) doesn't want to be petted yet, even though she will grab snacks from my hand and then run. So does Lee-Lee, but she doesn't run away...she struts just to let me know that she will tolerate petting only if she has to. Buffy wants to be petted briefly, then will fly up and perch on my arm while trying to remove all of the scabs from my hand and arm (OUCH!). Poofy Head (dgs Max's Buff Laced Polish) is still all up in arms because I washed her butt yesterday and she hasn't forgiven me for it. Buck-Bawk Obama (WCP) won't come to my hand yet, but she stands close enough so she can grab any goodies that others throw out of my hand. Half-Pint (Buff Sikie Bantam), the one I didn't think would make it, is the champion scratcher...she can sling shavings all the way across the big dog crate I have them in. If there are shavings in the water, more than likely Half-Pint threw them there!

I let them try a little bit of shredded oregano today, and they really seemed to like it! And of course they now have grit. Tomorrow I'll see how they like Thyme. I'm having so much fun with these babies! My grandkids are too!

So now that they're 10 days old and getting some feathering, would I be able to set their dog crate down in their run long enough to slide the tray out of the bottom and let them feel the grass between their toes long enough for me to clean the tray? I have turned their MHP down to 4 during the day, then turn it back up to 5 at night, but 7 of the 8 are spending more time on top of it than under it. I also left the door of the coop open from this morning until dusk and only saw 2 of the bantams get under the MHP for brief periods. It's supposed to be in the mid to upper 80's through Sunday here, so is that warm enough to let them go without the MHP for 15 minutes or so while I clean the bottom of their cage?

Donna

 

[lazy gardener]

Well y'all...this first time chicken Mama is having a blast! I'm seeing that the individual personalities of my chicks are starting to shine! Lacey (SLW), Oprah Henfrey (Black Jersey Giant), Fluffy (Mottled Cochin Bantam), Lee-Lee (Mille Fleur Duccle), and Buffy (Buff Orpington) will now eat out of my hand. Lacey runs to the door as soon as I open it to see me, inspect my hands for food, then walks into one hand so I can pet her with the other. Oprah Henfrey wants to be petted, but isn't too sure about it yet. Fluffy (dgd Lily's chick) doesn't want to be petted yet, even though she will grab snacks from my hand and then run. So does Lee-Lee, but she doesn't run away...she struts just to let me know that she will tolerate petting only if she has to. Buffy wants to be petted briefly, then will fly up and perch on my arm while trying to remove all of the scabs from my hand and arm (OUCH!). Poofy Head (dgs Max's Buff Laced Polish) is still all up in arms because I washed her butt yesterday and she hasn't forgiven me for it. Buck-Bawk Obama (WCP) won't come to my hand yet, but she stands close enough so she can grab any goodies that others throw out of my hand. Half-Pint (Buff Sikie Bantam), the one I didn't think would make it, is the champion scratcher...she can sling shavings all the way across the big dog crate I have them in. If there are shavings in the water, more than likely Half-Pint threw them there!

I let them try a little bit of shredded oregano today, and they really seemed to like it! And of course they now have grit. Tomorrow I'll see how they like Thyme. I'm having so much fun with these babies! My grandkids are too!

So now that they're 10 days old and getting some feathering, would I be able to set their dog crate down in their run long enough to slide the tray out of the bottom and let them feel the grass between their toes long enough for me to clean the tray? I have turned their MHP down to 4 during the day, then turn it back up to 5 at night, but 7 of the 8 are spending more time on top of it than under it. I also left the door of the coop open from this morning until dusk and only saw 2 of the bantams get under the MHP for brief periods. It's supposed to be in the mid to upper 80's through Sunday here, so is that warm enough to let them go without the MHP for 15 minutes or so while I clean the bottom of their cage?

Donna

Have you given them a plug of sod yet? Huge benefits to be had from that.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Well y'all...this first time chicken Mama is having a blast! I'm seeing that the individual personalities of my chicks are starting to shine! Lacey (SLW), Oprah Henfrey (Black Jersey Giant), Fluffy (Mottled Cochin Bantam), Lee-Lee (Mille Fleur Duccle), and Buffy (Buff Orpington) will now eat out of my hand. Lacey runs to the door as soon as I open it to see me, inspect my hands for food, then walks into one hand so I can pet her with the other. Oprah Henfrey wants to be petted, but isn't too sure about it yet. Fluffy (dgd Lily's chick) doesn't want to be petted yet, even though she will grab snacks from my hand and then run. So does Lee-Lee, but she doesn't run away...she struts just to let me know that she will tolerate petting only if she has to. Buffy wants to be petted briefly, then will fly up and perch on my arm while trying to remove all of the scabs from my hand and arm (OUCH!). Poofy Head (dgs Max's Buff Laced Polish) is still all up in arms because I washed her butt yesterday and she hasn't forgiven me for it. Buck-Bawk Obama (WCP) won't come to my hand yet, but she stands close enough so she can grab any goodies that others throw out of my hand. Half-Pint (Buff Sikie Bantam), the one I didn't think would make it, is the champion scratcher...she can sling shavings all the way across the big dog crate I have them in. If there are shavings in the water, more than likely Half-Pint threw them there!

I let them try a little bit of shredded oregano today, and they really seemed to like it! And of course they now have grit. Tomorrow I'll see how they like Thyme. I'm having so much fun with these babies! My grandkids are too!

So now that they're 10 days old and getting some feathering, would I be able to set their dog crate down in their run long enough to slide the tray out of the bottom and let them feel the grass between their toes long enough for me to clean the tray? I have turned their MHP down to 4 during the day, then turn it back up to 5 at night, but 7 of the 8 are spending more time on top of it than under it. I also left the door of the coop open from this morning until dusk and only saw 2 of the bantams get under the MHP for brief periods. It's supposed to be in the mid to upper 80's through Sunday here, so is that warm enough to let them go without the MHP for 15 minutes or so while I clean the bottom of their cage?

Donna

I am so happy for you, the joy is absolutely palpable in your efforts and knowing you are finding joy right now means that much more. It is truly amazing to first timers to realize just how much pure pleasure they bring and how much personality they have.
I think your pan sounds like a great idea to get them some fresh air, small exposure to the soil they'll be living on, etc.

Have you given them a plug of sod yet?  Huge benefits to be had from that.

Not to mention the benefit of the enjoyment to be had watching them with it, lol. The only nice thing I can say about just how wet it has been here this spring (excessively so even for this area) is how easy it is to pull a big clump of plant and get a nice sod ball on it for the chicks. By next weekend the run should be finished and they'll be in/out at will all day