Oh, spring! The snow is melting, the sun is shining…or maybe it’s raining and gloomy…or it’s sinking with another foot of snow. Well, the weather may not be cooperating yet, but there is one thing that unites the spring experience of all chicken lovers, and that is the sound of peeping at the local feed supply store.
keep it warm
Whether you’re bringing babies home from the store, or welcoming them from their eggs in an incubator, you’ll need somewhere to lay them until they grow enough feathers to regulate their body temperature, even if it’s outside. remains frozen. Their first home must be safe, have enough space, and most importantly, must keep them warm. Usually, whatever the size or shape, most people resort to a heat lamp to warm their chicks, but this comes with a lot of drawbacks; Even more disturbing is their potential to be a fire hazard.
The pros and cons of a heat pad
Chick heating pads are one alternative, but they are more expensive. The cheapest one I could find on Amazon is over $50! Is there a better way? That’s the thought I had when I brought home my first batch of baby chicks in four years. I didn’t have a suitable out-of-the-way spot in a garage or shed that also had a handy power supply, so I left indoors as the only place to keep a brooder: a house with dogs, cats, kids running around, and plenty of potential for a heat lamp fire.
Borrowing from snakes
Instead, I got the idea of another pet, unusual, that I enjoy. If you don’t like snakes, I’m sorry, this might make you squeamish. Look, I’m lifting a snake ball. These guys are native to the savannas and scrubs of Central Africa. They spend a great deal of time hiding in burrows and usually only come out to hunt at night, but like most reptiles, they cannot regulate their body heat. The part of Africa lies near the equator, and despite its seasonal variation, its average temperatures are very consistent. In order to replicate that here in Eastern Washington, I need some equipment: a heat mat to produce heat, a thermostat to regulate the temperature, and an enclosed but well-ventilated space to contain it all.
Wait, did I just describe the perfect brood box setup? That’s what my thoughts were as I drove home my new chick. I grabbed an old Jumpstart thermostat, an unused heating pad, and plastic wrap from my supplies, and set it up in a large cardboard box the same way I would a snake in a tank. I set the temperature to a comfortable range for young birds. The heating pad is placed under the sink and attached to the thermostat, the thermostat is attached to the wall, and a temperature probe passes on top of the heating pad, between it and the bottom of the sink. And it worked! It has worked like a charm for every batch of chicks I’ve had since that first batch. No one gets too cold or too hot, and lowering the temperature to start preparing chicks for transition to their outdoor run is as easy as pressing a button! I eventually swapped the cardboard for a plastic one, similar to my python setup. The bags are easy to clean, don’t fall apart, and come with lids for when the chicks start to jump up and test their wings.
Up-cycling: scales to feathers
I was able to avoid spending extra money by using what I already had; Old equipment that has been neglected in storage. For those of you who don’t keep exotic pets (which probably are most of you), a simple programmable thermostat and heating pad are inexpensive and readily available online. Of course, there are many ways to raise chicks, so do what works best for you, but if you’re looking for something different, here’s what works for me, and it can work for you too!
Louis Fish Stevens He comes from Washington and writes that “our flock of chickens is mixed. Two Easter Eggers, Rock Parade, Austerlorp, and Rooster Olive Egger was of course the sole survivor of a succession of three I bought back in March. I kept Welsummers, Cuckoo Marans, Wyandottes, Orpingtons, and EEs The other, and I think EEs are my favourite.I love their fluffy faces, they are the friendliest of birds, and my layers are steadiest and most prolific.My older EE chickens were the first to start laying this year, on February 1st when it was dark and cold as a pole North!