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

[ShrekDawg]

I've seen it at my TSC. They usually don't have it by the horse stuff but instead in one of the center displays, but of course all stores aren't arranged the same.

Thanks, I'll have to look around

 

[Molpet]

Thanks, I'll have to look around

http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/equine-fresh-pine-pellet-stall-bedding-40-lb?cm_vc=-10005

 

[ShrekDawg]

http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/equine-fresh-pine-pellet-stall-bedding-40-lb?cm_vc=-10005

Thanks so much for the link! I think I've seen that around

 

[myfivegirls]

Quote:
I usually start day one, but sometimes line the brooder with one of those puppy training pads until they know where the food is.
Like the others said, they do love to dust bath in them once they expand.
I didn't keep all the chicks either, as I sell chicks too.

Is the beautiful chick in the last picture a cochin? Bantam? Do you happen to have any grown-up pics of it? (I just hatched some very similar looking ones)

It's mom was a bantam cochin/silkie & dad was Swedish Flower Hen/bantam millie fleur cochin. Most of them ended up mostly black. One of the roosters did end up being black & white "mottled". But, they were so adorable as chicks!

 

[myfivegirls]

@WVduckchick

One above - turned out to be a rooster

pullet below

 

[WVduckchick]

@WVduckchick One above - turned out to be a rooster pullet below

Very pretty! Thanks. Here's my little group from this past weekend. Only one could be mottled, most of the eggs were from a different pen. They will likely be solid, but I think they are so adorable! (the yellow one and a couple black ones are seramas)

 

[Merrymouse]

Thanks for the links and info. I just looked at about 500 pictures from this thread. I think I can make one, now off to order the heating pad!

 

[Merrymouse]

Step one:

I just ordered this:

 

[el aguila]

I'm on page 20 of this thread, and really like the idea! I want to ask a question that may have been answered previously, but not sure how many more pages till I get there.

What is the maximum number of chicks to be kept in this type of a brooder? I'm assuming that if you place the heating pad on a cookie sheet that you can fit more chicks in the brooder.

 

[lpyrbby]

I've managed to have my chicks out every day this week, today being the longest since it was actually near 50 degrees this morning, so I shoved them outside before I left for work. Husband saw a couple of them under the heating pad earlier today, but by the end of the day, they were all piled in together at the door. I should be able to shove them outside before work again tomorrow, but obviously, there's no guarantee that they'll actually use the MHP. When I put them out this morning, I put them under the MHP one at a time as I pulled them from their tote and held them up, briefly, so they could get a feel for the heat. A few friends have mentioned blocking their space to force them to be around the heat source more, but they're getting so darn big that I'm still hesitant. They were squabbling in the brooder cage inside a couple of days ago and I see that becoming a thing if I continue to keep them in a smaller space. I'm actually considering a redesign for the MHP that won't feel so "creepy" for them. I'll post it if I can get it done this weekend.

They'll be 5 weeks old this weekend. If I keep putting them outside every day, is it reasonable that I could just force them to stay outside overnight around 6 weeks of age? I've tried placing them under the MHP in the evenings, but with 13 of them, they wander back out before I can get another under it with them, or they come out as a team.