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

[aart]

When you are integrating the little girls in with the big girls at 3 weeks, how do you handle the feed? I've got the littles on grower crumbles and the big girls on layer pellets. They were 3 weeks yesterday and I've had them in the coop in a wire crate since they came home. I'm thinking about cutting a little hole that only the little girls can fit through and butting the crate up against the edge of the coop so they can come and go, just not sure about the feed.

thanks,
dawn

That oughta work......it's more of an integration issue than a feed issue...

....tho I feed all my birds the same 'all flock' type feed and have calcium separtely for the layers.

 

[Blooie]

For Scout we just wired the door of the crate enough for him to fit through but the Bigs couldn't follow. Teehee - hard to remember that, now he IS one of the Bigs!


Did the same thing for the Littles in their big brooder - just left enough of an opening for them to get through but not the Bigs. Now the Tinys' door is wired for them, but they haven't wanted to venture out just yet. They will...I have total confidence in them.

 

[segeine]

Ok, so I'm setting up the brooder over the weekend, in preparation for incoming chicks early next week. (Much to the husband's displeasure - he really doesn't like this whole idea. Hopefully, we'll change his mind, right Blooey?) I have a (probably stupid) question - does the press-n-seal go inside the wire crate, or outside? I went back to the beginning of the thread, and I'm not sure you say. I can't tell from your photos.

Thanks for publicizing this idea - I think it's going to make brooding so much easier for me, and better for the chickies.

--Segeine

 

[Blooie]

Are you using a wire dog crate? If you are, then attach some hardware cloth along the bottom of it or the little boogers will squirt right out of it. When I used the Press'nSeal on the crate, I put it on the outside of the crate right over the hardware cloth. Then I lifted up the crate and stuck the overlap to the underside of the crate. It stuck really well and kept most of the shavings inside the brooder. You can do the same thing with cut up cardboard taped around the outside of the dog crate.

The hardware cloth went around the outside of the crate when I was treating Scout for frostbite and he was in the house. Then when he moved back outside we left it on there. Now when I'm done using the crate it gets put away with the hardware cloth left on, so it's always ready in case I have to isolate a bird or need to set up for a broody. You can see the hardware cloth clearly in the picture just above your post, and that's what the Press 'n Seal sticks to so well. I think if you just used it on the wire, there would be so much of it exposed that chicks getting themselves bumped against it hard enough could lose a little down when they pulled away from it. I don't know that for sure, mind you, but common sense tells me that sticky + chick down wouldn't mix well. There also wouldn't be enough for the Press 'n Seal to grab with so much space between the bars.

Edited to add: Good luck with your chicks! I don't know about convincing hubby - that one's all on you! Pictures....we love to see pictures of Mama Heating Pad at work!

 

[Celtics33]

To Ms. Blooie - chicken obsession - I only have 3 orders coming in - that's not too bad is it?

On a serious note, I ordered most of my stock from the local feed store. There were two breeds I really wanted to try that they didn't offer: Speckled & Light Sussex. I've found a couple of people somewhat local to order these breeds from - hopefully I will not come home with more than ordered - but can't promise Sorry, I can't remember who posted about their husband - but mine isn't so happy with my chicken obsession either. I tell him, he will like the eggs - or chicken broth. So far the only issue I've had with MHP is I'm still at day 3 having to put the chicks in the cave at night. They haven't learned the routine other than, oh no, she's going to catch us. Once they are inside at night, they are fine. I think I need to try to dim the lights a little at a time. Hopefully, they will soon catch on to the routine.

 

[perchie.girl]

To Ms. Blooie - chicken obsession - I only have 3 orders coming in - that's not too bad is it?

On a serious note, I ordered most of my stock from the local feed store. There were two breeds I really wanted to try that they didn't offer: Speckled & Light Sussex. I've found a couple of people somewhat local to order these breeds from - hopefully I will not come home with more than ordered - but can't promise Sorry, I can't remember who posted about their husband - but mine isn't so happy with my chicken obsession either. I tell him, he will like the eggs - or chicken broth. So far the only issue I've had with MHP is I'm still at day 3 having to put the chicks in the cave at night. They haven't learned the routine other than, oh no, she's going to catch us. Once they are inside at night, they are fine. I think I need to try to dim the lights a little at a time. Hopefully, they will soon catch on to the routine.

I think that may be the ticket... Maybe drape a cover over to start to help telling them night time is coming.

deb

 

[dpenning]

For Scout we just wired the door of the crate enough for him to fit through but the Bigs couldn't follow. Teehee - hard to remember that, now he IS one of the Bigs! Did the same thing for the Littles in their big brooder - just left enough of an opening for them to get through but not the Bigs. Now the Tinys' door is wired for them, but they haven't wanted to venture out just yet. They will...I have total confidence in them.

Thanks Blooie, my coop is in a shed where half of it is blocked off as the coop and the crate is in the other side. I can just open the door and butt it up to the plastic chicken wire with a Flap cut for the littles to get through.

 

[alibabba]

The landscape fabric will probably be ok, but newspaper is slippery and can cause leg problems, they need something that is not slick until their legs build up.

I had read about the newspaper not being good a good thing.

They are only on it when they go in the coop and on the heating pad. (loosely called a coop, it's one of the converted doghouses.) The rest of the time they are out on the grass and flying around on roosts in a 10 x 10 dog pen....("grass" also used loosely, it was lush a week ago and turning to dirt minute by minute

I must say that they are all growing and feathering and do seem so very robust. I lost 3 chicks while they were inside...One I think possible shipping, one ate too much sand (it was too late for me to do anything, when I discovered the problem) 3rd, unknown, just found it deceased under the tunnel one morning, There was no warning for any of these.

Could have happened anyway just because they are little, not very bright things....

But next time, I'll say it again...outside from the beginning!!! ..Maybe day 2 or 3. I would want to watch them for a bit in case there was a problem that could be taken care of.

 

[alibabba]

I forgot to add some pictures. I think the one on the left is a boy

 

[Beekissed]

Nothing says spring more than babies and flower, sending spring vibes your way!

Beautiful pics!!!! Love them all....send more!