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

[lazy gardener]

Thoughts, please.

Have a group of 6 chicks that range in age from 7-9 weeks old. Another group that will be 3 weeks old on Friday.

Do you think it's too early to try integrating these 2 groups together? I assume that the 3 week olds would still need to have a safe escape fro the 9 week olds...

Yes, they would....tiny doors, lots of space, etc, etc...keep a close eye on them, might have to do it in sessions at first.

Agree with Aart. Further comment: IMO, the sooner you integrate them, the better. Give the littles plenty of space where they can duck out of sight, but not be cornered. Fortunately, often when a chick is being pursued, the pursuit is forgotten the minute chick gets out of sight. Give them lots of entertainment while working on integration. (clumps of sod, scatter goodies in their bedding, multi level perching opportunities) Start by putting one or two of the bigs in with the littles... so the bigs are outnumbered and in unfamiliar space. Keep rotating bigs into play time with littles until they've all had a turn. This way you can observe to see if there are any bigs with bullying tendencies. Then, let them share space together. If you can set up a little play pen/run outside and start integration there, that will be best. When they're busy foraging and exploring, they're too busy to bully.

 

[Jensownzoo]

Has anyone used these for anything? I have the opportunity to purchase some on clearance at $12.99 if they're not all sold out before I can get them... http://www.amazon.com/Farm-Innovators-HM-60P-Heated-Chicken/dp/B011U58VG8
Farm Innovators Model HM-60P Heated Chicken Mat

I used a much bigger version of something like this to make an outdoor MHP to transition chicks from their brooder. I flipped it upside-down on a wooden frame and added a thermostatic control (because apparently lectro-kennel pads have heating cycles and the control would keep it steady instead). It worked GREAT. And hosed off to clean.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Quote:
I like the idea of putting one of the mid-sized in with the littles to start.

These almost-3-week-olds have been brooded right next to the mid-size in a divided off area so they've been next to each other from the beginning. The little divided-off pen is going to kind-of be a challenge figuring out how to make an escape they can find but the older chicks can't get through. I'll have to do some thinking on that.

The overall pen they're in is attached to the indoor pens that the adults are in. It was made with wonderful little adjustable doors that the chicks can go through but not the elders. However, since there are 2 ages in it this time, I have to re-figure how to accomplish this with 2 sets of chicks that themselves need to be combined.

Have to thank @azygous @aart and probably a few others for the chick portal idea that I read before we built the chick-safe pen. We incorporated several variations of it on the pen and I love them. I'll have to post a photo of the one we are currently using. It is a sliding door that slides from left to right and can be adjusted to various width opening.

 

[Leahs Mom]

On the chick heat pad - I'm pretty excited to get them if they're still available. For that price I can do some experimenting with using them several different ways.

They are farther south of me near Indy but a BYC friend is going to pick up a couple for me if they're still in stock when she gets there later today I hope. They were at their TSC but our TSC's here don't even carry the kennel heat pads. If they had been here local I would have gotten them already

 

[lazy gardener]

I like the idea of putting one of the mid-sized in with the littles to start.

These almost-3-week-olds have been brooded right next to the mid-size in a divided off area so they've been next to each other from the beginning. The little divided-off pen is going to kind-of be a challenge figuring out how to make an escape they can find but the older chicks can't get through. I'll have to do some thinking on that.

The overall pen they're in is attached to the indoor pens that the adults are in. It was made with wonderful little adjustable doors that the chicks can go through but not the elders. However, since there are 2 ages in it this time, I have to re-figure how to accomplish this with 2 sets of chicks that themselves need to be combined.

Have to thank @azygous @aart and probably a few others for the chick portal idea that I read before we built the chick-safe pen. We incorporated several variations of it on the pen and I love them. I'll have to post a photo of the one we are currently using. It is a sliding door that slides from left to right and can be adjusted to various width opening.

It may not be necessary for you to design a portal for the littles that will exclude the older chicks. An afternoon of supervised play may be all you need to do. It may be possible for you to skip plan B and proceed directly to plan C by integrating both groups with the adults next weekend!

 

[Leahs Mom]

PS: On the little pen I mentioned, it is like the kind of pen that @Blooie uses...one of those dog kennel pens just dividing off part of the larger area.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Quote: That would be GREAT!

 

[aart]

Quote: That's how I integrated 2 age groups of chicks....they were in a divided brooder but I put them in a day pen outside every day.
If someone got mean, they went back inside.... only took a few days for them all to work it out.

 

[Leahs Mom]

@aart
How old were the groups you did that with?

 

[aart]

@aart
How old were the groups you did that with?

4 and 6/7 weeks.