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

[bruceha2000]

Quote:
Um, what heat lamp? This is the MHP thread. People use it BECAUSE there is no potentially dangerous heat lamp and no 24 hour light.

@Stehiiboo Ignore the "95F for the first week, drop by 5F each week" thing. No hen will provide that and the chicks don't need it. As aart said, watch the chicks. If the chicks won't stay in the cave at night it is probably too hot. If they huddle together under it and won't come out, it is probably too cold. A good balance is when they come out a lot to play, eat, drink and go in to sleep or just warm up.

Exactly!! Lol! Man. And I have a couple LOUD ones too. And a bully, which happens to be one of the smallest ones *eye roll* She wants to peck everything anyone is pecking at and she likes to chase others away from the food. Just.Eat.And.BE.Nice. Oh and QUIET! Lol!

Other than the 2 months when my 2015 chicks were being raised by a hen, "Just.Eat.And.BE.Nice" doesn't really happen. Food? GIMME!!!!!!!!!! Even the hen that raised them started chasing them from food once her "I am raising chicks switch" went to OFF! overnight.

Although I understand a good rooster will call the hens when he finds something.

 

[mobius]

Do I see a heat lamp?

Proof of life:



Not pretty, but perfect...they have been under since 2.5 weeks

 

[GardenNut]

Give them something else to focus on - a clump of sod keeps them entertained for hours. They'll play "chick soccer" with a couple of large marbles. Use your imagination and see what you can come up with.

And on that suggestion I ran out and grabbed a few sprigs of clover, a stick, and a clump of dirt!

 

[MesMama]

You sure? Sometimes they can revive...I sure hope you don't have a loss!!

Yeah I held her for about 10 minutes ;'(

 

[MesMama]

It has stuff on its belly button? Maybe that's why it died?

 

[MesMama]

And the noisemaker-I think she's hungry but she won't eat. I scrambled an egg quick and cooled it off, she's not interested

 

[mobius]

It has stuff on its belly button? Maybe that's why it died?

Awww so sorry...I understand the belly button is the umbilical cord so no, that would not be it. you may want to quarantine the loud one...and now I am getting beyond my knowledge, perhaps someone else can help or post in chicken emergencies?

 

[dyorto]

It has stuff on its belly button? Maybe that's why it died?

Was that the one with the scab on there?

 

[Jensownzoo]

It has stuff on its belly button? Maybe that's why it died?

Very possible. They are supposed to hatch with it all closed up nicely. When it doesn't, it's an excellent route for bacteria to enter the body and once it's in...well, newborns don't have the best defenses against it.

I also lost a week old chick last night, but there is no explanation at present. I am finding that my success with the farm/feed store chick has been less than my chicks that were shipped in a January snowstorm! At least they only had to contend with chilling and shipping stress. Who knows what my current chicks have been exposed to? Think in the future I will do private breeders or direct from the hatchery.

 

[MesMama]

Was that the one with the scab on there?

The one from the ther day that my daughter thought was pasty butt was a different one. But the one that just died yeah also had a scab looking thing, but we didn't bother it.