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

[Bowldy45]

The chicks will be here tomorrow!! Here is the brooder I have set up in the house so they can de-stress for the next couple of days, then I will move them out to the coop with the MHP!

 

[FlyWheel]

I got nuffin'. Day 21 and not even a little movement in the 8 eggs I have in the incubator. I'll wait...and wait.....

The new eggs that I thought would be so much better didn't show me much to get excited about tonight when I candled. Despite letting them sit undisturbed for 24 hours after I received them,then putting them in Brinsea without turning them for the 30 hours, only one out of the 11 has what I'd consider a "normal" air sac. The rest look water floating all over the place in the them. The first day I did candle them but just a cursory look - I didn't want to handle them so I just put the flashlight on top of them and looked down through. At that point I thought all but 2 looked okay, but as I said I didn't move them..just candled them in place. Tonight I was moving them, and the air cells looked like the bubbles in a carpenter's level. Discouraged but will keep treating them like they all have perfect air cells. Two showed obvious veining but with the air cells bobbing around I just don't know.

Wow, sorry to hear you're having such lousy luck with your eggs. This is your SECOND batch, isn't it? I wish I could offer some advice, but the only times I've raised chicks 'from the lay' mama did all the technical work. The earliest I've ever stepped in was when I would be lucky enough to catch the egg shortly after the first cracking of the egg. (ever have a chick hatch in your hands? It's quite an experience!). I didn't even know you could get fertile eggs by mail order before I started reading here, I thought they were too fragile for shipping.

I have a couple of questions about the heating pad, as you have the same make and model I have, do you happen to know the wattage of it? I figure it's somewhat less than the 250 watts of the heat lamp, but I can't find any info anywhere, either on the box, instructions or even the unit itself.

And two; how many weeks before the chicks no longer need it, at least not as a cave they can snuggle under?

 

[COChix]

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.

We got our original flock of 28 from Meyer, we were happy with them. Had a few that were definite mutts....got some great EE and our BO roo.

The babies are home!!! We had to make a small change and only ended up with 10 but that's all good. 3 - Buff Orpingtons, 3 - Black Astrolorps, 3 - Black Copper Marans, 1 - Blue Cooper Maran. Everyone seems healthy and happy. Took a couple of times of poking them in the MHP but they all figured it out. Everybody is huddled under there and quiet at the moment.Blue Copper Maran. Marans came from a different hatchery and I think they were kinda cold. Straight to the MHP and stayed for quite a while. They all popped out and ran all over after a little while. [

Congrats and how cute.

Chicks are 2 week old today... a few are a couple days younger...raised pad up. I like having them(and their noise, stink, dust) outside.....but.....I don't handle them as much and they do NOT like to be picked up. Couple of them really fight it....maybe partially because they are sprouting feathers. They are going to be very unhappy tomorrow as all will be caught, confined to a tote, then re-banded and released.......gonna be a Chickie Rodeo!

Lol, we call a chick rodeo something different. We call a chick rodeo the first time we give them live crickets. It is rather hilarious.

I use a fish landing net to catch my chickens,forget all that running! e

Smart

Oh they're only in a 4x6 space.....not room for a landing net. But....hmmmm....maybe the aquarium net lol

COChix, how old were your 15 chick when they got too big to fit into the mhp? And....the sunbeam pad that does have an on/off switch, but only three heating levels will work, won't it?

I would say 3 weeks, but I had 7 large males buff mixes in that hatch. Also, I ended up wanting a flat shelf for the coop outside. It just fit better in the space so it probably could have worked for longer if I had a different space to put it in.

My newest additions. Two boys & one girl. Blooie how's the hatch going? Hatching isn't easy, at least not for me. I am getting better. I improved my hatch by 300% this time! LOL

Love your MHP and what cute babies you have congrats on your hatch.

I got nuffin'. Day 21 and not even a little movement in the 8 eggs I have in the incubator. I'll wait...and wait..... The new eggs that I thought would be so much better didn't show me much to get excited about tonight when I candled. Despite letting them sit undisturbed for 24 hours after I received them,then putting them in Brinsea without turning them for the 30 hours, only one out of the 11 has what I'd consider a "normal" air sac. The rest look water floating all over the place in the them. The first day I did candle them but just a cursory look - I didn't want to handle them so I just put the flashlight on top of them and looked down through. At that point I thought all but 2 looked okay, but as I said I didn't move them..just candled them in place. Tonight I was moving them, and the air cells looked like the bubbles in a carpenter's level. Discouraged but will keep treating them like they all have perfect air cells. Two showed obvious veining but with the air cells bobbing around I just don't know.

 

[ShrekDawg]

We got our original flock of 28 from Meyer, we were happy with them. Had a few that were definite mutts....got some great EE and our BO roo.
Congrats and how cute.
Lol, we call a chick rodeo something different. We call a chick rodeo the first time we give them live crickets. It is rather hilarious.
Smart

I would say 3 weeks, but I had 7 large males buff mixes in that hatch. Also, I ended up wanting a flat shelf for the coop outside. It just fit better in the space so it probably could have worked for longer if I had a different space to put it in.
Love your MHP and what cute babies you have congrats on your hatch.

Yeah, I liked Meyer. No DOA and only one died but that was at 6 days old and my fault for having the heat too high. The birds are beautiful too, at least mine are. Especially my Barred Rock and Easter Eggers. Curious which ones of yours were mutts? We love ours, got 1 Barred Rock, 2 Black Australorps, 3 Buff Orpingtons, and 2 Easter Eggers. We originally were going to get 2 of each breed but the other BR was the one that died and we added their free chick option which happened to be another BO. I'm glad because I really love them.

 

[realsis]

I love Meyer! All ten of mine were alive and well, thank God. Meyer put a heat pack in their box and extra materials. Chicks were warm and cozy. Mine hatched and shipped yesterday and I got them today. All the way from Ohio to California. I feel like Meyer really went the extra mile. The customer service was also exceptional! They helped me add and Change my order SEVERAL times after I pre ordered. They even give a free surprise breed FEMALE chick. They never use males as "packing peanuts" and really do a amazing job! My experience was wonderful from start to finish and honestly now I will ONLY GO THROUGH MEYER. I really trust them. I was so worried about the long trip but they did such a great job. I'm So Greatful! I HIGHLY recommend them!!♡

 

[ShrekDawg]

I love Meyer! All ten of mine were alive and well, thank God. Meyer put a heat pack in their box and extra materials. Chicks were warm and cozy. Mine hatched and shipped yesterday and I got them today. All the way from Ohio to California. I feel like Meyer really went the extra mile. The customer service was also exceptional! They helped me add and Change my order SEVERAL times after I pre ordered. They even give a free surprise breed FEMALE chick. They never use males as "packing peanuts" and really do a amazing job! My experience was wonderful from start to finish and honestly now I will ONLY GO THROUGH MEYER. I really trust them. I was so worried about the long trip but they did such a great job. I'm So Greatful! I HIGHLY recommend them!!♡

I agree and they did the same here with the heat pad and everything. All of ours were alive and peeping like crazy too so it's a shame I made rookie mistakes and wound up killing one we got ours in October. But our extra chick was also female! And a Buff Orpington! Talk about a score lol, friendly and adorable, and FEMALE. Mine arrived next day too but we're in Massachusetts so fairly close to Ohio. Ohio to California next day is pretty impressive! They're great for next year though, if I add more, I think I'm going local just cause I only want a few more but I would definitely order from Meyer again. One day I'll have ridiculous amounts of chickens lol

 

[realsis]

I agree and they did the same here with the heat pad and everything. All of ours were alive and peeping like crazy too so it's a shame I made rookie mistakes and wound up killing one we got ours in October. But our extra chick was also female! And a Buff Orpington! Talk about a score lol, friendly and adorable, and FEMALE. Mine arrived next day too but we're in Massachusetts so fairly close to Ohio. Ohio to California next day is pretty impressive! They're great for next year though, if I add more, I think I'm going local just cause I only want a few more but I would definitely order from Meyer again. One day I'll have ridiculous amounts of chickens lol

it's true! I could not be more Greatful! I would recommend them to everyone!I was really nervous, and I'm so thankful things went so well! The little ones ate, drank,and figured out how to use the Brinsea brooder (my first time using it) it's amazing how smart those little ones are!! :

 

[realsis]

I agree and they did the same here with the heat pad and everything. All of ours were alive and peeping like crazy too so it's a shame I made rookie mistakes and wound up killing one we got ours in October. But our extra chick was also female! And a Buff Orpington! Talk about a score lol, friendly and adorable, and FEMALE. Mine arrived next day too but we're in Massachusetts so fairly close to Ohio. Ohio to California next day is pretty impressive! They're great for next year though, if I add more, I think I'm going local just cause I only want a few more but I would definitely order from Meyer again. One day I'll have ridiculous amounts of chickens lol

Do you have any photos of your Buff Orpington chick? I'm trying to figure out what my Meal Maker is! I thought she might be a Buff Orpington but I'm not so sure??

 

[lazy gardener]

Ok, Blooie. Now, I'm gonna dispense some sisterly advice. Get thee to a local keeper of fine chickens. This keeper must also be in posession of a fine rooster. Purchase some fresh unwashed eggs from said chicken keeper, and carefully carry them home. Place them in the Brinsea, and I guarantee, you'll have yourself a batch of popcorn chicks.

 

[aart]

Ok, Blooie. Now, I'm gonna dispense some sisterly advice. Get thee to a local keeper of fine chickens. This keeper must also be in posession of a fine rooster. Purchase some fresh unwashed eggs from said chicken keeper, and carefully carry them home. Place them in the Brinsea, and I guarantee, you'll have yourself a batch of popcorn chicks.

Agrees! .....or hatch some of your own....you have a cockbird in your flock, don't you @Blooie ?