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

[COChix]

We had summer last week, it hit 71. Snowing now.
Maybe the bigs can't get into the littles' area but the littles sure look interested in the big girls' side!

Oh I saw a fresh dusting of snow on the mountains this afternoon. The littles have been in the other side of the coop hanging out and checking things out. They don't seem very fearful of the bigs.

 

[aart]

I know its off subject, but scary weather is heading into our neck of the woods. Prayers and good vibes are appreciated.

I'm positive the chicken coop is safer than our mobile home. So they are getting locked in for the night and I am heading to my moms with the littles. Last year, we had the roof of our apartment fly not even five feet over our heads as I struggled to carry my littles to safety. I cannot wait to get our storm shelter installed...

And back on subject, I may be doing chicken math since it turns out four of our six are cockerels. So MHP is gonna get pulled back out soon lol. At least the temps are decent so they may not be under it much at all.

HolyCrap!!!!....that'll make storms scary forever!!!!
Where are you located?

 

[beautifulpirate]

HolyCrap!!!!....that'll make storms scary forever!!!!
Where are you located?

Creek county- Mannford, Oklahoma but we are going to stay with my mom in Tulsa tonight . That was not the first of my terrifying experiences with tornadic activity either. But carrying my babies in my arms, scared for them, by far made it the worst. My husband works overnights so that doesn't help- our worst sstorms are typically overnight.

 

[bruceha2000]

Yep, now that your chickens are secure, job #1 is a tornado shelter. Way too scary for me. Suckers sneak up on you and blow away entire neighborhoods.

 

[MamaDoolittle]

Okay, so I was at the feed store and got suckered in by the cuteness. Pulled out my trusty MHP and voila in a matter of minutes two new happy babies.

 

[perchie.girl]

Yep, now that your chickens are secure, job #1 is a tornado shelter. Way too scary for me. Suckers sneak up on you and blow away entire neighborhoods.

I have seen a tornado shelter for horses....

 

[beautifulpirate]

Yep, now that your chickens are secure, job #1 is a tornado shelter. Way too scary for me. Suckers sneak up on you and blow away entire neighborhoods.

We are on the waiting list with the Indian nation to get one on our property. But ideally, I just want a basement built into our home when we build in a couple years. Or an Earth ship would suffice haha...

 

[odysseychicken]

Getting three new chicks today. I have the heating pad all set up and ready to go. It made it so easy last time. This time I am setting up the brooder in the coop. This should make integration much easier as the big girls will be used to the new chicks living with them. The weather has been pretty good here lately and wouldn't you know it, tonight there is a frost warning. Good thing they will have their warm little cave! Wish us luck.

 

[poodlechicks]

Getting three new chicks today.  I have the heating pad all set up and ready to go.  It made it so easy last time.  This time I am setting up the brooder in the coop.  This should make integration much easier as the big girls will be used to the new chicks living with them.  The weather has been pretty good here lately and wouldn't you know it, tonight there is a frost warning.  Good thing they will have their warm little cave!  Wish us luck.

Good luck! I don't remember reading about your set up in previous posts, but just to make sure: you are going to raise the chicks within eyesight of the big ones in the coop, but with a barrier between them, right? I just don't want your chicks to be killed in the event the big ones don't appreciate the invasion

 

[aart]

Just can't stop dinking with the chicken coop.

Built a leanto wire barrier to get the chicks used to going thru the chick doors between the coop partition and the main coop and it worked pretty darn well.
A section of 1x2 welded wire cut a little shorter than the span, a stick of 1/3 to stiffen the bottom edge,and a scrap of plastic mesh to flexibly fill the remaining gap span.

Had to shove a few thru at first, but they figured it out pretty quick....they like it in there, found half of them lounging in there this afternoon(didn't get a pic of that of course), when I walked into the main coop most of them scampered back thru the doors to their safe haven.

From the main coop side of the partition wall.......

Yep, good Chicken TV today! Took the barrier in front of the chick doors down with only Gimpy Mellow Henny in the big coop. Chicks had a ball running around the 'new to them' space. Didn't bother Henny at all, but she did flare and peck a few times when chicks got too curious. 'Scared' chicks back thru doors a few times, then opened big pop door and rattled the scratch can so all the big birds came in coop. No real drama-almost anitclimactic, some confusion and awe, a few pecks from the big birds. Some chicks went out into the big run but found their way back in coop again. All seems good so far, so funny to watch them all.