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

[maybaby45]

So I finally settled on using a wire shelf and putting a couple of towels under it so they could get contact with the pad. Covered it all with a towel to keep the heat in and left them in the room with the lights off. They chirped for about 10 minutes and then when the room got dark it was quiet. Just checked and all 9 are spread out on the towel sleeping away! I'm sure they will be up with the sun in the morning since I have them by the window. This is a great thing!

 

[perchie.girl]

I've never used them or even seen them. Can anybody answer?

Pine pellets or wood pellets are often used for horse bedding.They are very absrobent. Brown in color and usually moistened before putting down... when moistened they fluff up ten times their size.

http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/tractor-supply-coreg;-pine-pellet-stall-bedding-40-lb

a friend of mine who did stall cleaning says she would sprinkle water on it and stir to keep the dust down... makes it absorb better.

read the reviews

I would be cautious about using it with chickens those pellets look too much like food.



deb Dont know why I am Blue.... I just am...

 

[alibabba]

its a weird feeling...."these delicate things are surely all dead". I know the feeling!!!

But every morning... they fling themselves out of the coop! 5 weeks on Fri.

The temps in the coop were good. Its getting warm here so I cut off the pad during the day. last night off. Tonight off.

at going on 5 wks!

Can't imagine people keeping chicks with a heat lamp indoors or outdoors this time of year and at this age.


Seems like it would be much too hot. 23 chicks with 198 sq ft of run, movable...until they are sold!

 

[maybaby45]

Thanks on the pine pellet info, I won't be using them

 

[azygous]

Aaah! I have my six new chicks home safe and sound. It was frustrating yesterday as I was tracking my chicks from the hatchery to the post office just three hours drive away to find out they wouldn't be coming any closer to me for another 24 long hours.

I tried to phone that post office that was holding them, but couldn't get anyone to answer the stupid phone. So I was forced to sit tight until I could get them from the delivery truck early this morning down in town.

I immediately popped all six of the teensy wiggly things into my shirt front, and they quieted down immediately. Then I got to a friend's house to plug in my heating pad and hers, too for good measure. So under the pad they went, and one by one, we did the drinking electrolytes routine.

Then I put them in a tote, unplugged both heating pads, and laid them loosely over the chicks with a small square of space blanket over the two pads, and we left for our thirty minute drive home.

So the six are now in a tote on the kitchen table with water and a little dry kibble sprinkled on a puppy pad, with the heating pad scrunched in a little mountain with them alternately hanging out under the pad and coming out to check out the world in which they now find themselves.

I'll watch them closely over the next 24 hours and then they will move outside to their quarters in the grow-out pen. Pics to come.

This heating pad thing is so natural and handy, why didn't anyone think of it long before this?

 

[Blooie]

They did, azygous....that's where I stole the idea!

All of us who are using this system with such great success owe a huge debt of thanks to Patrice Lopatin, Beekissed, and aart - the fine folks who went before! And another round of applause for the people who thought, "Why not?" and tried it themselves, even though it goes so contrary to all we learned about raising chicks with heat lamps, thermometers, and keeping them inside darn near until they lay their first eggs!

 

[lazy gardener]

I moved my littles out into the tractor today. I had the cat carrier all set up for Dom Hen's school trip. So, I figured... why not: they led me on a merry chase in the big coop, but I got them all stuffed into the cat carrier. They then got plunked into the tractor, with the carrier door propped open. Hopefully, this evening, they'll all go into the carrier to get away from the big bad scary dark!. Then, I'll just close the door, and plop them into the old coop for the night. Move the tractor a bit in the morning, and repeat! They are 4.5 weeks old today. Shall I pull the HP tonight? They spent last night cuddled next to and on it. So, I figure that the cat carrier with it's bed of hay will suffice. Opinions? They are such sissies at night. Spend half an hour screaming before they settle down for the night. The tinies are ready to go out into the old coop as well.

 

[Blooie]

The cat carrier sounds like a great idea. With plenty of insulation and each other in there, I'm betting they'll be fine! I pulled the pad off the Littles off the pad at about the same age.

 

[maybaby45]

Mine are loving this! When I got up this morning they were all sleeping until I turned on the light. They came out and ate and fought(they are feisty) and by the time we left for school they were napping. I do have one that is loud and loves to chirp a lot. I'm assuming it's her personality since she's full and warm.

 

[Grimm]

I wanted to try this with my second batch of chicks but I have not been able to find a heating pad at the stores. I had to order one online and my babies arrived this morning. So for right now they are under a ceramic heat bulb in the brooder box. They are doing well but I want that heating pad to arrive already!

Thank goodness the weather is warming up and I will be able to move them to the kiddie coop sooner than my last batch of chicks. The older girls were in the box for 8 weeks.

Just too darn cold before then. I should say that it was partly due to them feathering out very late and my husband was too lazy to help me build the coop til then. But they are loving the coop and run now after being in the brooder of doom.