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

[member 373180]

I'm sorry if this has already been discussed but I was wondering if y'all find that the littles just naturally start going to bed in the big girls coop after they've been integrating for a while? If yes, roundabout what age does this usually happen? Or do you find that you have to move them out of the brooder yourself at some point?

 

[Beekissed]

I'm sorry if this has already been discussed but I was wondering if y'all find that the littles just naturally start going to bed in the big girls coop after they've been integrating for a while? If yes, roundabout what age does this usually happen? Or do you find that you have to move them out of the brooder yourself at some point?

They integrate fine at feeding time and with ranging, but come bed time it seems they will head for the nest boxes instead of the roosts...even if you make them roosts all their own size and separate from the big girls. The big girls are pretty nasty to the littles if they don't have a mama to protect them on the roosts. You might have to go out there at night for several nights and place them on the roosts, might have to block off the nest boxes too. This happens at various ages, but much, much younger when they have a mama...usually 2 mo. of age without a mama.

It really, really helps if you have roosts that are not all one level so that the older hens can roost up on top and the younger birds below and out of their reach.

 

[Blooie]

I do things a little differently than the usual. I brood mine outside in the run from the start. Yep, even in temps in the teens and twenties and haven't lost a chick or had one get sick yet.

The pen I have them in is a dog's x-pen that I've had for years. We put hardware cloth along the bottom so the little stinkers can't squeeze out of the wire bars. They can see the Bigs, and the Bigs can see them. After about 3 weeks I just open the run door and let the Bigs outside, then open the chicks' pen just wide enough for them to get in and out but not so wide that the Bigs can follow. At first they don't want to come out, but eventually a few brave ones will venture, usually followed by the cowards.

The Bigs sometimes peck at the babies, but it's usually because the babies are overstepping common chicken courtesy and not out of meanness. Doing it this way, opening the brooder pen daily and then closing it shortly before sunset, has resulted in chicks that are beginning a smooth integration at that 3 week stage, and fully integrated with the flock by 4 weeks. As soon as that happens, the brooder pen is dismantled and the chicks are on their own to figure it out...and they do that very quickly. The first few nights they tend to sleep right where their pen was, but after that they follow the Bigs into the coop at sundown, find themselves a corner to snuggle down into, and go to sleep.

By the time they are 5 weeks old they are already flying up on the roost. Some sneaky little devils will try sleeping in the nest boxes, so I evict them none too gently and cover the nests at night and open them first thing in the morning for a time. I have a couple who kept testing me when I'd try to see if I could finally leave the boxes uncovered. But the truth is I have to do very little for integration and they learn to roost on their own from the Bigs.

During integration I also make sure there is are multiple feeders and waterers, since most territorial spats arise there. I also have a giant, hollow half log that they can fit under but the Bigs can't. They use that a lot for security. You can do the same thing with a "huddle" box, a cardboard box with small openings cut into it.

Welcome to the thread!

 

[Blooie]

@Beekissed I did it again, didn't I? Posted without reading yours!

 

[pinebarrens]

I'm brand new to chickens, decided to go MHP with our first chicks. We just brought them home this morning There are 9 chicks, ages between 3 weeks and 11 days. We are brooding them in the house for a little while, which is more about me and the kids wanting them near than anything else

So, when we put them in the brooder, they ran all around for a bit, found their feed and everybody ate. I tucked them under MHP to show them what it is, and they started settling in. But there are three little "rebels" who hung out under MHP for a few minutes, then wandered out, and they ended up huddling together in the back corner, kind of touching the outside of MHP, and went to sleep there. It is one of the 3 week old chicks and two younger ones, including the smallest of the lot who is my son's instant favorite (first one with a name, Mittens.) The temp in the house is around 65.







My first impression is that those three seem perfectly content, they are not newly hatched, and I should just leave them be. But I'm nervous, and if anything happens to "Mittens" in particular there is going to be much sadness...

Somebody, please, tell me whether to let the poor things sleep, or if I really need to put them back in the warm again!

 

[Blooie]

They look pretty comfortable to me. By 3 weeks old mine were barely using the pad at all, and they were outside in Northern Wyoming. If you hear distressed peeping, they may need a reminder of where the heat is by putting them on top of it, but they shouldn't need to be shoved under and they probably won't stay there anyway. That said, mine were raised outside from the start, and were more fully feathered earlier than chicks raised inside.

Since yours are 11 days and 3 weeks, try turning the pad down a bit. You can also try raising the frame up a little. It might just be too hot for the older chicks, but the younger ones still want that heat. So doing that is a pretty good compromise. I find that very young chicks need it warmer for a few days, and then do very well with it turned down a notch.

Good luck! Welcome to the Broody Brigade! Your photos have paid your membership dues!! Really cute chicks!

 

[Beekissed]

As the others age you'll see this behavior with them as well. The more feathers they have, the less they need the warmth of the HP. Especially with ambient temps at 65*...that's pretty much summer morning temps for a downy chick.

No worries....just tuck them under the edge of the HP brooder at night and let them move out from it if they get too warm if they wish, but in the day time let them go where they will.

***** Oops, got Blooied.

We were typing at the same time. So glad you are back!!!

 

[Blooie]

I love you, Miss Bee...do you know that?

 

[Beekissed]

Right back at ya, Blooie!!!

So glad you are back up on your horse and ridin'.

 

[emorems0]

I have a big order of chicks coming in a month (mostly meaties)... how many chicks can one of the MHPs accommodate? I'm looking at the XL 12x24 heating pad... and there will be about 40 chicks. I don't suppose I could get away with just two of these?