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

[Spinning Carrie]

7 seems like such a strange number! Never seen that before! Usually it's 4, 6, 8, that type of thing, even numbers, or it's a lower odd number like 3. Very interesting indeed.

They actually do it by lot size, which I like. For every 1600 square feet you have in your lot, you may have one fowl (no roosters though). Mine ended up at 7.35 and the city zoning employee was very specific in saying they round down. I don't think they've learned chicken math!

Welcome Carrie. That should do. You are wise to encase the frame and pad in a pillow case or something similar to prevent any chicks from getting stuck. If you find that it's not high enough, you can always prop it up on some 2 x 4 scraps. If you do that, be sure to secure it. Chicks are notorious for seeking new and novel ways of committing suicide!!!

6th grade, huh? You are a mighty brave woman!!!

Thanks! My Grandpa used to raise sheep, he liked to say, "I'll be darned if those sheep don't start looking for a way to die as soon as they're born." Chicks seem much the same way!

I like sixth graders. They have a fun sense of humor, and I don't have to tie any shoes or do any buttons or zippers! I will say that in the spring there starts to be a smell and the hormones really get going and I can't wait for the last day of school to come.

Carrie

 

[Blooie]

Are you usin a 'bator this go-round?

Yep.....the only chicken out of all of those out there that ever goes broody is Agatha, also known as Attila the Hen when she's sitting on eggs. But not counting on her this time around. It's weird - she sits tight, textbook broody - and when Scout hatched she was a really good mommy. I don't know if it's the luck of the draw that she has rotten hatches or what. I'm not messing with these eggs!

 

[aart]

Quote: Oh actually I bet they do know about chicken math.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Oh actually I bet they do know about chicken math.

That's actually very interesting and a very cool way to do it!

I do agree with aart though, that's probably why they were specific.

 

[bruceha2000]

I got them from My Pet Chicken. They have all new egg providers. If you call MPC with an order before midnight tonight, and say "I'm from BYC, Introduce me." you get 10% off your order. I did!

So I'm curious who the old providers are (that they severed ties with) and who the new ones are. Not that I will be hatching any eggs, I'm just curious

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

And you have the coop all built right? If not, start YESTERDAY! Amazing how fast those little fluffballs grow.

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!

The MOST important thing about the HP is that it NOT turn itself off. If the pad you got does not have that feature - DO NOT USE IT (unless you want to be present to turn it back on every 2 hours around the clock)!

 

[Spinning Carrie]

And you have the coop all built right? If not, start YESTERDAY! Amazing how fast those little fluffballs grow.

We went out yesterday and got the first load of lumber, so we have a start!

Carrie

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote:
Woo Hoo Coop First.... Me likey

 

[chonsey]

It is a sunbeam, S85A-will test before setting it out there. My husband has me using a light also. With Michigan winters you have to have plan A & B. I have an old horse stall I'll be using. So they can gather under the light, (water&food will be stationed under light) and if they want they can huddle under the heating pad. We just had a large coyote come through yesterday, so my chicks will be kept in the barn until spring.

 

[BeachyChicken]

I used the heating pad method for my first small flock of 7. I loved many aspects of it, especially that it does seem like a much better and more natural way for them to experience the rhythm of day and night. I have to admit though, that using this method did give me a fair dose of anxiety as it was a DIY job and not "official"...but in retrospect I am so happy I went for it! Thank you for all your advise!! My chicks are now around 9 weeks old and all doing amazingly well. Here is Southwest Florida they stopped using it around 5 weeks and were happy to move to their big coop/run! Anyway, I just wanted to say thank you for supporting an original idea and helping us all learn!

 

[Blooie]

Oh, I know that "insecure about it in the beginning" feeling so well! How can this work? They can't be warm enough! Am I going to kill them all? I had used this for the very first time with Scout after his injury, but he was in the house in a dog crate next to my chair. What was going to happen when I put him outside in the cold? Well, he thrived, that's what happened when I put him outside with MHP. And I was constantly checking on the next batch of chicks to be raised with the heating pad outside. Now it seems as natural as breathing, but that first time was rough!

Believe me, I've learned just as much from the people on this thread! Some made modifications that worked well for them. Others tried modifications that didn't work so well. But along the way we all learned together. I'm a little surprised that yours were still using it up until 5 weeks. Mine were basically done with it between 3- 4 weeks, and were fully integrated into the coop with the older birds at 4-5 weeks. Not that it matters - what works is what worked for you and your chicks. Every situation is a little different.

@chonsey If it's that cold in Michigan for your Littles, I can see why you'd want to use both the lamp and the pad. But I don't think they'll use the pad as much if they have the lamp. They do need a rather large area with no heat at all in order to feather out the fastest. If you're using both, I'd leave the water near (but not right at) the lamp just so it doesn't freeze but move the food away from any of the heat, just to force them to use the unheated space.