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

[Hholly]

Last night my older chicks did not go into the cave. They stayed outside in a corner of the cage (Blooie they are in a MUCH larger cage now. They huddled together and the only sounds I heard were those little happy cooing noises chicks make. They are fine this morning, playing and chasing each other, mock fights and so on. I have a feeling I was over heating my chicks with the heat lamps.

I'm going to turn the heating pad down a notch now. The oldest were hatched Jan 24th. The younger 3 about a week later.

I really like this cave. My hatch from Friday are loving their cave. The take to it just like it was a hen..

Thanks Blooie!

Mine have been doing the same thing, and are the same age as yours. I'm wondering if I should turn mine down too? They hang out on top of the cave a lot during the day. But not at night. Am I doing something wrong? I made it taller for them, but they would still need to crouch a little to get under it. Should I raise it more?

 

[duluthralphie]

Mine have been doing the same thing, and are the same age as yours. I'm wondering if I should turn mine down too? They hang out on top of the cave a lot during the day. But not at night. Am I doing something wrong? I made it taller for them, but they would still need to crouch a little to get under it. Should I raise it more?

Mine could get under the cave. They are not even sitting on the cave. One once in a while. I think turning down makes sense. Heck, maybe we just have it driven in us they need more heat than they really do.

 

[realsis]

I told my hubby how you all are brooding and he INSISTED we do it this way.I'm a bit nervous about i will be honest.we already have the heating pad unit he used for seedlings. it is controlled by a thermostat that will go up to 100 degrees. not that I would make it that hot. we have a large plastic flower pot that can be cut to make a perfect cave. we will do a trial run to make sure everything will be acceptable for the chicks. I'm very nervous about this and really worried. I hope this works out ok. any advice is appreciated. The thermostat insures the pad is kept at the temperature we set for it. it can be adjusted.

 

[aart]

Quote: I adjust height and heat setting, 'aggressively' turning down heat after first week......
.....sometimes too aggressively, have had to turn it back up due to their behavior....you know, that shitI'mcold cheeping.

 

[Blooie]

Mine could get under the cave. They are not even sitting on the cave. One once in a while. I think turning down makes sense. Heck, maybe we just have it driven in us they need more heat than they really do.

Exactly! Conventional chick raising calls for 95 degrees the first week, 90 the second, and so on. I had day old chicks under the heating pad cave and was asked what the temp was under there. I didn't know because I didn't really care - my chicks were thriving and that was all I needed to know. But out of curiosity I put a wireless thermometer under there. The room was 69 degrees - the cave was 82.5. So there went that theory!!

If the chicks don't want to be under it anymore, they may simply not need it. Or it may be too warm with their new feathers coming in and bigger bodies in the same space their tiny little bodies once occupied, adding to the heat. So you can turn it down a notch and watch them. You can also raise the frame a bit, especially helpful if they are having to almost have to crawl under rather than just duck.

 

[duluthralphie]

I adjust height and heat setting, 'aggressively' turning down heat after first week......
.....sometimes too aggressively, have had to turn it back up due to their behavior....you know, that shitI'mcold cheeping.

I expected to hear that chirping. I did not, but up until 30 seconds ago I was running on 6, I have it at 5 now.

Realsis, Will the chicks be able to snuggle up to the pad if you use the flower pot? Are you putting the pad inside the pot or outside?


Also a mother hen is around 104 degrees, 100 should not be a problem.

 

[Blooie]

I told my hubby how you all are brooding and he INSISTED we do it this way.I'm a bit nervous about i will be honest.we already have the heating pad unit he used for seedlings. it is controlled by a thermostat that will go up to 100 degrees. not that I would make it that hot. we have a large plastic flower pot that can be cut to make a perfect cave. we will do a trial run to make sure everything will be acceptable for the chicks. I'm very nervous about this and really worried. I hope this works out ok. any advice is appreciated. The thermostat insures the pad is kept at the temperature we set for it. it can be adjusted.

Welcome to the Broody Brigade! You know the rules - photos photos photos! But I will tell you that it's hard to recommend a flower pot cut in half. The arch at the top of the pot is too high for the heat to come into close contact with the chicks...in the beginning they like that heat right at their backs. Also the arch keeps them from being able to hang around on top - it's too curved. I think one of our members did use one, but she lived in Mississippi and it was already very warm outside so they didn't need as much heat.

@aart uses a baker's cooling rack (I think that's what it is) with carriage bolts for legs so she can adjust the height of the plate as the chicks grow. @azygous used a frame she made with that dense foam used for camping and dowels. Walmart carries cabinet shelves that are just about right once you cut the legs back a bit to make them lower. Me, and most other folks, just use a small piece of fencing bent into a shallow arch.

 

[aart]

Quote: Once you really know that 'distress' tone of chirping, it's a great tool...makes things much easier.

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

Exactly! Conventional chick raising calls for 95 degrees the first week, 90 the second, and so on. I had day old chicks under the heating pad cave and was asked what the temp was under there. I didn't know because I didn't really care - my chicks were thriving and that was all I needed to know. But out of curiosity I put a wireless thermometer under there. The room was 69 degrees - the cave was 82.5. So there went that theory!!

If the chicks don't want to be under it anymore, they may simply not need it. Or it may be too warm with their new feathers coming in and bigger bodies in the same space their tiny little bodies once occupied, adding to the heat. So you can turn it down a notch and watch them. You can also raise the frame a bit, especially helpful if they are having to almost have to crawl under rather than just duck.

I'm convinced I killed three of my first chicks by overheating them with a heat lamp.

Never again.

- Ant Farm

 

[perchie.girl]

I told my hubby how you all are brooding and he INSISTED we do it this way.I'm a bit nervous about i will be honest.we already have the heating pad unit he used for seedlings. it is controlled by a thermostat that will go up to 100 degrees. not that I would make it that hot. we have a large plastic flower pot that can be cut to make a perfect cave. we will do a trial run to make sure everything will be acceptable for the chicks. I'm very nervous about this and really worried. I hope this works out ok. any advice is appreciated. The thermostat insures the pad is kept at the temperature we set for it. it can be adjusted.

Oh cool I didnt know those heat pads had a thermostat... The plus is they are waterproof.

As far as making an arch... you only really need it raised up high enough so they have to huner down a tad to get in.. Ideally angling it lower in the back than the front. so they can self regulate.... this is the whole exercise here.

Self regulation because they really know what they need.
Lights off so they can really sleep at night.
The ability to brood in the coop without going to extreme measures.
By brooding in the coop they get innoculated for different things... but best of all they get their flora and fauna going in the gut.

NO DUST IN THE house.....

deb