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

[aart]

Went to lock up......no chicks!
Could hear them...but......oh , all in one nest box smaller than their huddle box...SHM.....wish I coulda got a pic.

Put them all on a roost, 15 almost 5 week olds just fit on a ~4 foot roost....should keep em warmer.
Not as warm as it was in that nest box, it was toasty in there......gotta remember to close off then nest boxes in the late afternoons.

 

[Blooie]

Went to lock up......no chicks!
Could hear them...but......oh , all in one nest box smaller than their huddle box...SHM.....wish I coulda got a pic.

Put them all on a roost, 15 almost 5 week olds just fit on a ~4 foot roost....should keep em warmer.
Not as warm as it was in that nest box, it was toasty in there......gotta remember to close off then nest boxes in the late afternoons.

Yep, I'm not looking forward to starting that routine again either, but desperate times.....

 

[Leahs Mom]

Thanks @Blooie and @aart

 

[aart]

Quote: Part of having them out of the brooder and in the main coop earlier I guess.

 

[Blooie]

Thanks @Blooie and @aart

You are very welcome! Great to see you again, too, by the way!

Part of having them out of the brooder and in the main coop earlier I guess.

Small price to pay for having them outside instead of inside, at least around here. We live in a old 1976 mobile home....not much room for us let alone a brooder full of chicks!

 

[saraem]

Sorry I keep posting here when I'm not even using MHP yet...but you seem to be a more open-minded bunch about how much heat baby chicks actually need. Went in to check on mine again and the baby was actually UNDER the RIR whose wing she often sleeps under...like fully underneath as though she was a mama hen. They were very quiet and fully asleep until I gently pet the RIR (was worried that I didn't see the small one) and she stirred before resettling.

I'm guessing this means baby is too cold without a heat source and I should turn back on the lamp for tonight (plan to set up MHP within the next 2 days once all my supplies arrive)? I do have a heating pad here but it will shut off after 2 hours.

 

[Leahs Mom]

@Blooie

Just read through your article. Can you tell me how tall your dog pen ...the one in this photo:


Photo Credit: Blooie

I have one of those that I think is 48" high that I picked up at a garage sale. I use it for quarantine in the garage from time to time.

I'm just wondering the height because I'm thinking that I'd need to put something over the top of it to keep them from flying up then out. My chicks always seem to be fliers But if I could use that, then I could just divide the older chicks from the younger chicks in their 6x6 area. It will be tight in there, but hopefully can integrate that bunch and remove it in short-order.

 

[Blooie]

@Blooie

Just read through your article. Can you tell me how tall your dog pen ...the one in this photo:


Photo Credit: Blooie

I have one of those that I think is 48" high that I picked up at a garage sale. I use it for quarantine in the garage from time to time.

I'm just wondering the height because I'm thinking that I'd need to put something over the top of it to keep them from flying up then out. My chicks always seem to be fliers But if I could use that, then I could just divide the older chicks from the younger chicks in their 6x6 area. It will be tight in there, but hopefully can integrate that bunch and remove it in short-order.

It's about the same as yours. Remember how my run is made from cattle panels? That means I have the framework of cattle panel fencing arched above it. So what I do is just hang (using zip ties) some of that green plastic fencing all the way around it. At the place where I can walk in, it's just held to the side with a bungee cord. Would some photos help? Pretty dusty out there at the moment, so if you can overlook the dust I'll try to get a couple.

Sorry I keep posting here when I'm not even using MHP yet...but you seem to be a more open-minded bunch about how much heat baby chicks actually need. Went in to check on mine again and the baby was actually UNDER the RIR whose wing she often sleeps under...like fully underneath as though she was a mama hen. They were very quiet and fully asleep until I gently pet the RIR (was worried that I didn't see the small one) and she stirred before resettling.

I'm guessing this means baby is too cold without a heat source and I should turn back on the lamp for tonight (plan to set up MHP within the next 2 days once all my supplies arrive)? I do have a heating pad here but it will shut off after 2 hours.

Don't you DARE apologize for posting such a question here!

If we can help, that's what we're here for, and your questions are no less important just because you aren't using MHP yet! Sounds to me like the little one does need some heat, but also sounds to me like she's found just what she needs to be comfy and her provider isn't objecting in the least.

So it's your call, but I think I would.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Quote: Blooie

Yes! Photos WOULD be wonderful.

And.... It's a chicken coop. It's supposed to be dusty

 

[Blooie]

K...hold on..