CrzyChknLady81
Songster
- Mar 29, 2015
- 642
- 66
- 138
I use plastic totes (size depends on #of chicks).. but I just cut wire(anything sturdy with smallish holes).. in a square..bend it in an upside down U shape, and push the back down so that it's lower than the front...wrap the corners if the cut areas are sharp or pointy..then I put it in one end of the tote, cover it with a heating pad and then take a towel, cover the heating pad and use the towel to fill any gaps so chicks can't go through hole in wire and get stuck. Just make sure your heating pad will stay on and doesn't automatically shut off (I get mine at Dollar General for 11$, it has just on/off..but you can get fancy ones with more control over heat).. bedding I use pine shavings covered with rubber shelf liner until chicks move into barn into the big brooder..big brooder has same set up, but wire frame is just a bit higher, and heating pad is bigger.. no shelf liner in big brooder (it's a rabbit hutch refinished and repurposed)..
I just kinda played around with ways to use anything other than heat lamps bc they scare the pee outta me..but there is a lady here on BYC that did a whole write up on using heating pads in brooders..she uses a fancy heating pad, and press n seal around a towel but I don't get into the fancy stuff..they are warm and happy. .and most importantly quiet..lol..
she said she notices they feather out faster..I've never paid attention bc I've only ever used a heat lamp for my ducks for one week so don't know how fast mine feather compared to others
But I'm sitting in my room now, and all I can hear is quit lil happy chirps , barely can hear them over the TV and it's on volume level 3.. I know they get under the pad at night and don't come out til daylight and I personally think it has to be better for them to not have a glaring light 24/7.. mine are only exposed to natural sunlight coming through the windows..I can open my windows and let a breeze come in and it doesn't bother the babies at all..if it gets chilly, they go back under "mama"
I just kinda played around with ways to use anything other than heat lamps bc they scare the pee outta me..but there is a lady here on BYC that did a whole write up on using heating pads in brooders..she uses a fancy heating pad, and press n seal around a towel but I don't get into the fancy stuff..they are warm and happy. .and most importantly quiet..lol..
she said she notices they feather out faster..I've never paid attention bc I've only ever used a heat lamp for my ducks for one week so don't know how fast mine feather compared to others
But I'm sitting in my room now, and all I can hear is quit lil happy chirps , barely can hear them over the TV and it's on volume level 3.. I know they get under the pad at night and don't come out til daylight and I personally think it has to be better for them to not have a glaring light 24/7.. mine are only exposed to natural sunlight coming through the windows..I can open my windows and let a breeze come in and it doesn't bother the babies at all..if it gets chilly, they go back under "mama"
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