Phasing out mother hen heating pad

[Purlsnponies]

Hi all!

I'm planning for my first batch of chicks (shipped yesterday!), and am going to go the mother hen heating pad route. They'll stay in my guest bedroom the first week, and will move to a larger (sheltered, secure) outdoor brooder after that. How long do you typically leave the heating pad with them? The pad I have is regular size, but small - I can't imagine they'll even fit under it in a few weeks.

I'm also in Florida.. and can't imagine they'll even need a heater long this time of year? Our nights are currently in the upper 70s, and last year we didn't hit the upper 50s at night till November (when these guys will be 8 weeks old).

I have a very open 12x12 coop, with mostly hardware cloth walls. No electricity out there, but there is space for a draft free roost. Should I also provide a "mini-coop" within the main coop, where they can roost together when they're cold?

Thank you for any insight! You all are such a wealth of information, and I've learned so much already!

 

[DobieLover]

Hi all!

I'm planning for my first batch of chicks (shipped yesterday!), and am going to go the mother hen heating pad route. They'll stay in my guest bedroom the first week, and will move to a larger (sheltered, secure) outdoor brooder after that. How long do you typically leave the heating pad with them? The pad I have is regular size, but small - I can't imagine they'll even fit under it in a few weeks.

I'm also in Florida.. and can't imagine they'll even need a heater long this time of year? Our nights are currently in the upper 70s, and last year we didn't hit the upper 50s at night till November (when these guys will be 8 weeks old).

I have a very open 12x12 coop, with mostly hardware cloth walls. No electricity out there, but there is space for a draft free roost. Should I also provide a "mini-coop" within the main coop, where they can roost together when they're cold?

Thank you for any insight! You all are such a wealth of information, and I've learned so much already!

You're in Florida. They'll never be cold!
I would leave the MHP with them for at least 4 weeks. You can also put a huddle box in with them when they get bigger and let them decide where they want to sleep. When they aren't using the MHP any longer, remove it.
As long as there is an area in your open air coop that will shelter them from blowing rain, it sounds like a great setup for them. How many chicks are on the way?

 

[Purlsnponies]

You're in Florida. They'll never be cold!
I would leave the MHP with them for at least 4 weeks. You can also put a huddle box in with them when they get bigger and let them decide where they want to sleep. When they aren't using the MHP any longer, remove it.
As long as there is an area in your open air coop that will shelter them from blowing rain, it sounds like a great setup for them. How many chicks are on the way?

Thank you, that's very helpful! I make things so difficult in my head, haha.

There are 6 on the way - 3 Easter Eggers and 3 black laced silver Wyandottes. I just tracked them though, and the estimated delivery date is Monday. That better be wrong!

 

[DobieLover]

That better be wrong!

Where did you order them from?

 

[Purlsnponies]

Where did you order them from?

Cackle. I don't think they're open yet, but will call them soon to find out how they shipped the chicks. USPS says Priority delivery from their zip to mine should be 2-3 days...

 

[DobieLover]

Cackle. I don't think they're open yet, but will call them soon to find out how they shipped the chicks. USPS says Priority delivery from their zip to mine should be 2-3 days...

Hopefully it's a glitch in the scanning system. I've had chicks shipped 4 times and never had them arrive later than 3 days after shipping.

 

[Purlsnponies]

Hopefully it's a glitch in the scanning system. I've had chicks shipped 4 times and never had them arrive later than 3 days after shipping.

Thanks for the good thoughts! Cackle says they haven't been experiencing shipping delays. These guys were shipped Priority, so I'm crossing fingers!

 

[DobieLover]

Thanks for the good thoughts! Cackle says they haven't been experiencing shipping delays. These guys were shipped Priority, so I'm crossing fingers!

Me too!

 

[rosemarythyme]

Does your heating pad come with different temperature settings? Way I handle it is I lower it one notch each 5 days or so (so first week HI, next 5 days MED, next 5 LO, etc.) and when I run out of notches I turn it off, remove it, and boot them from the brooder.

In your climate you could possibly turn it off at 2, 2.5 weeks or so, and then leave it in for a few more days for them to snuggle with to ease them off it, then remove it.

 

[Purlsnponies]

Does your heating pad come with different temperature settings? Way I handle it is I lower it one notch each 5 days or so (so first week HI, next 5 days MED, next 5 LO, etc.) and when I run out of notches I turn it off, remove it, and boot them from the brooder.

In your climate you could possibly turn it off at 2, 2.5 weeks or so, and then leave it in for a few more days for them to snuggle with to ease them off it, then remove it.

Awesome, that's extremely helpful! Thank you!