Sunnyducks
Chirping
- May 1, 2016
- 132
- 7
- 56
Hello, I'd be glad of any advice. I have one large brooder (and some large plastic tubs). In the brooder are 2 chicks aged 4 weeks and 6 weeks which have become inseparable, and are now on a heat pad at night only. I have a staggered hatch in the incubator that were started under a broody for unknown times, but they started hatching even earlier than I expected and are likely to keep going till Monday. I put yesterday's 7 chicks in a plastic tub under a heat lamp, inside the main brooder containing the older ones. I covered it up with wire.. Later I discovered the older ones inside the tub with the babies, having somehow pulled the cover off. I was too nervous to leave them there so I tried a lower tub with a different wire cover, but the older chicks then jumped on top of the wire to sit under the heat lamp, blocking heat from the babies and pooping on them from above! Plan C - the babies are now inside under the lamp in a tub in my laundry. The older ones spent the night happily on their heat pad. I clearly can't keep the babies in the tub after today, as there will shortly be another one. Because of the problem I hadn't thought of (the older chicks still wanting access to the heat lamp) I clearly can't use the tub inside the brooder. Do you think it's a definite no-no to have them all free together in the brooder? My two heat pads (all I can purchase in my town) are fairly small and have no heat controls. They are designed to be about 95 degrees as they are reptile pads but I wondered if I should make a mama heating pad for them and let them all be together in the brooder? Any advice gratefully received, as I need to fix this, and quick! Thank you in advance.
Last edited: