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

[Blooie]

Happy for you, WyoJax! Scary that first time, isn't it?

 

[WyoJax]

I am surprised I slept and I ran out first thing the next morning to do a head count. Hahahaha, it's so funny how over bearing we are about animals that really do take care of themselves for the most part.

 

[GranolaGirl72]

I just moved the chicks outside for the first time. They are one week old and I wanted to add more litter to their bedding. The sun is finally out and we have reached an unheard of 44° so I figured it would be a good time. MHP set on high, out into the driveway the box went. Fresh bedding in, water changed and found an old cookie rack to put over the top since they have started looking up. 5 minutes later I thought I had poisoned them! One of the chicks spread out a wing and fell over sideways with its head on the ground. It stood up, walked 2 steps and did it again. Over and over, what was happening!!!!!! Maybe I hurt it when I was spreading the new bedding? Maybe it is not really pine but cedar and it is in distress!!!!! Then it switched wings and did it again. All the sudden I realized, it was enjoying the sun

I had not killed the little thing, rather made it so happy it was acting drunk. I have moved the feeder to the top of MHP for the next hour in order to give them as much of a sun pool to wallow in as possible.

 

[ShrekDawg]

It is great you can get them locally, most of us don't have that option. Besides having to be somewhat hard on the chicks, shipping cost is usually as much or more than the price of the chicks!

From Meyer unless you get 20 or more chicks shipping was like $40! We only got 9 chicks, one of which was their free option, so it was expensive! It was worth it to get what we wanted though, imo. Over 20 it dropped to $20. But then you are paying more for more chicks so it winds up about the same anyway. And that's for MA, different groups of states have different rates.

But I wouldn't do it again for just 3 or 4 chicks like I want to add.

Fortunately being in MA we have loads of options here.

We have several Tractor Supply's close by (closest is 15 minutes away, next is 38 mins, plus one an hour or so away), a local farm store (an Agway) about the same distance (according to Google Maps it's 13 minutes away), more Agways on the Cape, like an hour away, and when I Googled, I found several more smaller, independent feed stores on the Cape too. And they ALL, as far as I know, have chicks all spring and some of them, through summer. And a few of the stores, including our local Agway, carry some different breeds, this year they are trying several new breeds they have never had. Same with some of the Cape feed stores. And there are loads of breeders around too I'm sure, though I haven't looked into breeders. There is even a hatchery in Connecticut. But we're also in a really central location so I think that helps. If I was in a more remote location I doubt there would be so many options. And the Tractor Supply doesn't carry what I want, just Rhode Island Reds (technically production reds?), Red Sex Link pullets, not even labeled as sex link or any breed, just either labeled "pullets" or not labeled, and "bantams" and "cornish x" (sold out at ours though). The bantams were ADORABLE and active but you don't know what breed. Some stores carry ducks but not mine, at least not atm. The local stores carry breeds I want, including Speckled Sussex and Wyandottes, and also feather legged and rare breeds which I dont want but cool they have. If and when I want to add Wyandottes or Speckled Sussex I think I will shop local rather than ordering online again. I LOVE Meyer but it's just not worth it for such a small amount of chicks haha

 

[ShrekDawg]

Yes. We always try to deal locally if we can. I know it obviously works but we were never comfortable with sending chicks through the mail. It was also nice to be able to get the amount of the breeds that we wanted without dealing with any minimums. There will also be same age replacements available for a while if we have any issues.

Edit: also priceless to pick them up and have them safe at home in 30 minutes.

In the future I think I'll go locally too but Meyer Hatchery only has a minimum of like 3 and then 15 during winter and no breed minimum or anything so I thought that was nice, you can get what you want and not have ridiculous minimums.

 

[mrssteciw]

The heating pad came in the mail today. I can barely tell its on I have the Premier heat plates coming- I'll see what I can do with them. Thanks, @bruceha2000

 

[FlyWheel]

@FlyWheel I see that you deleted your post. Not sure why you'd do that, you absolutely have every right to ask the question and to have your ideas considered. No one here is trying to be argumentative - just helpful in explaining why many of us don't do the heating pad on the floor. We all have chicks that prefer, after a certain time, to spend more time on top of the heating pad rather than under it, and we expect that. It's the natural progression of things....under a broody hen they'd be doing the same thing - laying alongside her or on top of her rather than under her because 1) they are feathered enough not to need as much heat anymore and 2) they won't all fit anyway. So really, your chicks aren't doing anything that ours don't do as well.

I know, it's a heating pad, not a broody hen. But a heat lamp is just a heat lamp, too. What we are trying to do with MHP is to replicate as closely as we can the behavior of chicks with a real mom. And at this point the chicks would naturally not be under her as much. They simply don't need as much heat. Putting the pad underneath and then a towel on top is just putting back in what they have clearly shown they don't want - a lot of heat. As I see it, with the pad on top, they can just hop up for a few seconds, or even take a nap if they want to. That's what they're doing with your heating pad on the floor, except when you cover it to hold in the heat. At that point being on top of the cave gives them no heat, and being in it gives them too much. So they are more likely to find a corner, pile into it, and go without. And you know, if your temps aren't bad, that's okay too! But they are young enough yet that if they get spooked, they still have the security of running underneath, even if the pad is just set on low or 1.

If you just don't think this is the way you want to go and prefer your setup, that's certainly the right thing for you to do. There is no "one way" to raise chicks. But most of us who have done this for awhile have figured out how to most closely give the chicks as natural a start as possible without a broody hen. I hope that answered your question better than we've been able to do so far. Some have been doing it with the heat on the floor for sometime, so it's nothing new. @MyMilleFleur has long been brooding chicks with the heating pad on the floor rather than using a frame.

Actually, the reason I went to the MHP was not creating a surrogate brooding hen, the chicks were hatchery 'born' so I doubt they even know what a full grown chicken looks like. The MAIN reason was fire prevention. Especially after coming home last weekend to a garage full of smoky haze and this:

The other reason being with the MHP I could create a day/night cycle using an LED lamp and an appliance timer.

Ironically they are now back under the heating pad. After a couple of days using the modified version I took out the MHP, trimmed the hardware cloth to the same size as the pad (12"x24") and put it back in, this time as a simple arch with the opening facing the length of the bin rather than sideways. I laid the heating pad on top of the hardware cloth arch and covered it with a folded towel. And would you believe it, everyone hopped back in and from then on have been using it the way it was intended.

Maybe the original design was too low? Perhaps they didn't like the opening facing the side of the bin? Or the modified version finally taught them how it's supposed to work. Whatever the reason, everybody's happy and healthy. That's whats important.


P.S. Congrats on quitting. the fewer smokers there are the better IMNSHO

<Snip!> Have you ever been harrumphed by a chicken? It's a little embarrassing, actually.

 

[mobius]

Nada. Nuffin'. No. <sigh>

Fingers crossed for you!!

 

[Molpet]

Actually, the reason I went to the MHP was not creating a surrogate brooding hen, the chicks were hatchery 'born' so I doubt they even know what a full grown chicken looks like. The MAIN reason was fire prevention. Especially after coming home last weekend to a garage full of smoky haze and this:

The other reason being with the MHP I could create a day/night cycle using an LED lamp and an appliance timer.

Ironically they are now back under the heating pad. After a couple of days using the modified version I took out the MHP, trimmed the hardware cloth to the same size as the pad (12"x24") and put it back in, this time as a simple arch with the opening facing the length of the bin rather than sideways. I laid the heating pad on top of the hardware cloth arch and covered it with a folded towel. And would you believe it, everyone hopped back in and from then on have been using it the way it was intended.

Maybe the original design was too low? Perhaps they didn't like the opening facing the side of the bin? Or the modified version finally taught them how it's supposed to work. Whatever the reason, everybody's happy and healthy. That's whats important.

 

[WyoJax]

Happy to see you over here Fly! The second I saw you post about the fire I had to say something about MHP. I wish the very best for you and your babies with your MHP!!