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

[Blooie]

In that case, now we wait for photos!!

 

[ShrekDawg]

My birds seem to have a HARD peck lately, particularly the Australorps. Today I gave them dirt from outside the thing and the Australorp pecked me again and then Orp and Rock joined but with them I believe it was maybe just because I had dirt stuck to my thumb and they thought it was food. But the Australorps just seem mean. A few days ago one pecked my forearm HARD when putting them to bed, didn't "bleed" per se but left a tiny beak sized red mark for the first time. Even as a little baby she has had a hard peck when hand feeding but now seems kind of mean. I don't like the alpha thing for dogs but for chickens it doesn't seem so off that it could be true so while previously I ignored it, I have lately been fighting back. Not hard or violently really and only maybe 2 or 3 times, def not consistent, but one time she did it over food so I chased her away with my hand then she came back and did it again so pecked her neck with my fingers a couple times till i finally managef to get to her head as she was ducking. Then i stood up and walked by. Not official chasing but somewhat. Then crouched again and back to feeding the others and let her back. I make it sound dramatic but really it was all fairly gentle and more shooing than chasing and no other birds were spooked but I figure the others chase her so maybe I should too. She is near the bottom of order I think. The arm pecked day I was just like OW! NO! BAD GIRL! and shut the door, sort of a panic. Today I panicked too and I think I accidentally flung the dirt at her ( it was only a tiny bit in my hands) hah ANYWAY. I know this isn't really the right thread so I'll make my own but I think this started early so my point and question is do you think this is just because of the lack of space as chicks? Because I've heard space issues can cause behavior issues and once it starts it's for life but I wasn't sure if this was from that and if it truly is for life. Because out of the pen in the yard they avoid me so I don't get it. And they really don't seem to peck or fight with each other, other than the occasional squabble and chase over a good treat (worms and for some reason BREAD really seem to excite this), it's really only me. Could it also be all the chasing I did as chicks and they just don't like me? They have been permanently outside 2 weeks now though and no chasing. And now I know some of you didn't think I was very equipped for chicks but that was before and ever since the other chick passing they've been doing great and I check everything often but besides that don't even really go out there. Heck, they even go in the coop all by themselves too ever since the second or third night out there, had to catch them twice, and ever since they go in when it gets dark. Soooo assuming it's my fault? OR. Do Australorps just naturally have a hard beak?

 

[ShrekDawg]

Also i think it's only one but I'm not sure

 

[Spinning Carrie]

Hello!

My daughter has been after me to get some chicks since the first time she saw them at a feed store four years ago. My husband and I looked into the ordinances in our city and decided to give it a go! We ordered some Orpingtons, legbars and olive eggers that should be here in February, so I have spent an awful lot of my school holiday (I teach sixth grade) on the BYC forum. For the past two days I have been voraciously reading this thread (I'm up to page 120 out of the 220 currently) and I can't tell you how much calmer I feel about the raising from chick prospect than I did when I was considering a heat lamp in the house. Thank you so much for posting the thread, I feel like I know you all already (either that, or I'm a stalker which is what really made me decide to comment).
I found and purchased the Sunbeam with the ability to disable the auto-off function heating pad today, and my husband is going to put together a brooder for me that will be stationed out in the garage. One question I have, will the smaller sized heating pad (12x15) last my little chickies until they are done with MHP? I ordered seven because seven is all I'm allowed to have (chicken mania nearly got me, I wanted one of each flavor!).

Thank you!
Carrie

 

[Blooie]

Hi Carrie!
Nice to meet you too! That small pad, in my experience, should be adequate for 7 chicks. Now, there is a difference between adequate and ideal, but I think you'll be okay. I would still suggest you get the bigger pad when you can, because we all know around here how fast chicken math creeps up and before you know it you'll be getting "just a couple more". Of course, that depends on what your city code allows. They'll grow fast, and they'll feather out faster too, so usually by the time they are 3 weeks old they won't spend much time under it but lots of time on top of or tucked around it. In fact, the ones I raised outside were fully integrated with the flock by 4 weeks old, and they never looked back!

If you've been reading, you know the drill - pictures, pictures pictures! And welcome to the Broody Brigade!

 

[chonsey]

I got a very large heating pad from a coworker that bought it from the shopping network. Nice and long with width, also hotter settings (in case temperatures drop subzero) for the cold Michigan winter. Will post a photo when my chicks leave the brooder and go out to the big pen in the barn. Just got a new camara, hoping to get a few needed accessories this weekend. Will be taking photos & posting! In the meantime, I am waiting for my New Year eggs to hatch!

 

[henless]

@KDOGG331 ~ You get mean chickens in all varieties. I had to put 2 of my English Orpington cockerels in freezer camp because they became mean. Orpingtons are supposed to be one of the "nicer" chickens. You can just never tell. I don't remember, but did you order all pullets or straight run? Sometimes gender plays a roll in temperament.

@Spinning Carrie ~ I think it will be big enough. My first time brooding chicks I had a Premier heat plate, the small one. It only measures 12"x12". I had 21 chicks under it and it worked just fine.

This past summer I got this Sunbeam heating pad. It measures 12"x15", like yours. I kept it flat ( I used a cookie rack for a frame) and it was just fine for my 11 Cream Legbars. Like Blooie said, yours should be adequate for what you need it for.

@chonsey ~ What are you hatching? I've never hatched before but plan on hatching next year. I've got to order my incubator first, lol.

 

[Spinning Carrie]

I went hunting for possible skeleton bits for my cave. This was in my storage room and presented itself as a possibility. 10 inches wide by 16 inches long, the front height is 2.25 inches, then the bars are 3 inches at the front down to 2 inches at the shortest point. My plan is to completely encase the frame to prevent anyone getting stuck. Any thoughts/suggestions as to the shape?

 

[Spinning Carrie]

Hi Carrie!
Nice to meet you too! That small pad, in my experience, should be adequate for 7 chicks. Now, there is a difference between adequate and ideal, but I think you'll be okay. I would still suggest you get the bigger pad when you can, because we all know around here how fast chicken math creeps up and before you know it you'll be getting "just a couple more". Of course, that depends on what your city code allows. They'll grow fast, and they'll feather out faster too, so usually by the time they are 3 weeks old they won't spend much time under it but lots of time on top of or tucked around it. In fact, the ones I raised outside were fully integrated with the flock by 4 weeks old, and they never looked back!

If you've been reading, you know the drill - pictures, pictures pictures! And welcome to the Broody Brigade!

Oh, I wish I could have more than 7, but my city (suburbs in between Salt Lake and Ogden Utah) says 7 is all I get! Thank you so much for the warm welcome, one of the reasons I kept going through all the pages was because of how nice and supportive everyone in this thread is!

@Spinning Carrie ~ I think it will be big enough. My first time brooding chicks I had a Premier heat plate, the small one. It only measures 12"x12". I had 21 chicks under it and it worked just fine.

Thanks, so much! I am tempted to get the bigger one from Amazon, it is only six dollars more than I paid for it, and it has the "moisture" option.

Carrie

 

[ShrekDawg]

@henless - the Orpingtons actually seem to really friendly or at least the least scared of me. They are biggest treat hogs and one of the most persistent in taking treats from others though! just seems to be the Australorps so far but they are also only 9 weeks 3 days old so I'm hoping it's also just immaturity or space and they grow up nicer :/ I ordered all pullets and when they were younger I wasn't sure about the EEs and Barred Rock but now so far all appear to be female.