Mama Hen Heating Pad

[Pumphrey]

Wondering if the heating pad will heat up the wire support enough to burn chicken? What setting should I start with for day old chick (low, medium, high) How high should I make it to start? I am only getting one Dominique chick. i have 2 adults

 

[Ridgerunner]

@Blooie 's thread is probably too long for it to be easy to dig out this kind of information but it is a font of knowledge. Those are good questions.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...d-in-the-brooder-picture-heavy-update.956958/

I think I've seen others on your other thread suggest you not get just one chick. Chickens are social animals and really want to be with other chickens. It can be hard to raise them alone in the brooder. They can be miserable without company, to the point it can be unhealthy. They may imprint on you where they want you there 100% of the time. Are you willing to be there all the time? It is usually easier to integrate two or more chicks to adults if you have more than one. Their quality of life generally isn't very good if they are alone. Sometimes life hits us in a way that we are stuck with a single chick, that happened to me once. There are tricks we use to try to get through that, generally a mirror and a stuffed animal, but these are not as effective as another chick. I tried.

You mention perhaps getting another single chick next spring. I don't know why you want one chick at a time but I'd not do it that way. I'd get at least two.

 

[Pumphrey]

@Blooie 's thread is probably too long for it to be easy to dig out this kind of information but it is a font of knowledge. Those are good questions.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...d-in-the-brooder-picture-heavy-update.956958/

I think I've seen others on your other thread suggest you not get just one chick. Chickens are social animals and really want to be with other chickens. It can be hard to raise them alone in the brooder. They can be miserable without company, to the point it can be unhealthy. They may imprint on you where they want you there 100% of the time. Are you willing to be there all the time? It is usually easier to integrate two or more chicks to adults if you have more than one. Their quality of life generally isn't very good if they are alone. Sometimes life hits us in a way that we are stuck with a single chick, that happened to me once. There are tricks we use to try to get through that, generally a mirror and a stuffed animal, but these are not as effective as another chick. I tried.

You mention perhaps getting another single chick next spring. I don't know why you want one chick at a time but I'd not do it that way. I'd get at least two.

Thanks for the advice. I have been thinking about that and perhaps getting 2 would be best.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Thanks for the advice. I have been thinking about that and perhaps getting 2 would be best.

Oh, yes! Get at least 2. It will make integration so so so much easier!

 

[lauraschicks]

I so totally agree with Ridgerunner. One lonely chick is just sad. I had this problem this month because I had a hen killing each chick she hatched so I took her last two eggs away from her and put them on a heating pad inside with a chick light over them (don't have an incubator}. I figured I would give them a chance since she would kill them anyway. Surprisingly one hatched. The second didn't after an additional 48 hours so I tossed it and went to Tractor supply and took their last 5 pullets to keep my lone chick at home company. Now I again have too many chickens, but at least all of them are pullets, including my home grown one. Good luck

 

[Aunt Angus]

Oh - and about the heating pad... I always set mine up a day or so before getting new chicks. I set the heating pad to medium and use a thermometer to check the temp. I also stick my hand under to make sure it isn't too hot.

If it's too warm, I set to high. Too hot? I set to low.

 

[Pumphrey]

I so totally agree with Ridgerunner. One lonely chick is just sad. I had this problem this month because I had a hen killing each chick she hatched so I took her last two eggs away from her and put them on a heating pad inside with a chick light over them (don't have an incubator}. I figured I would give them a chance since she would kill them anyway. Surprisingly one hatched. The second didn't after an additional 48 hours so I tossed it and went to Tractor supply and took their last 5 pullets to keep my lone chick at home company. Now I again have too many chickens, but at least all of them are pullets, including my home grown one. Good luck

Yes, I have only had chickens for 2 months so I am still learning. The area I have them in is a dog kennel with pine pellets topped with shavings and is about 10 x 16. I don't want it overcrowded so I was thinking 3 would be a good number but would 4 be too many in that space?

 

[Pumphrey]

Oh - and about the heating pad... I always set mine up a day or so before getting new chicks. I set the heating pad to medium and use a thermometer to check the temp. I also stick my hand under to make sure it isn't too hot.

If it's too warm, I set to high. Too hot? I set to low.

Thank you. That really helps

 

[Aunt Angus]

Yes, I have only had chickens for 2 months so I am still learning. The area I have them in is a dog kennel with pine pellets topped with shavings and is about 10 x 16. I don't want it overcrowded so I was thinking 3 would be a good number but would 4 be too many in that space?

According to the general guidelines/minimums, 10x16 is enough for 16 chickens.

 

[Pumphrey]

According to the general guidelines/minimums, 10x16 is enough for 16 chickens.

Oh my!