# Emergency brooder help?



## SilverSage (Oct 19, 2014)

I have a chick that I really feel I need to pull, he is only 5 grams at 5 days old. I have given him fluids a couple of times, and since then he seems to be getting fed, but he isn't gaining any weight and his two clutch mates are growing quickly while this little one loses strength. Mommy tiel, Patches, is a fierce mamma and I fear to open the box too often in case she injurs the babies or puts a toenail through an egg, etc. I want to pull him for hand feeding, but my brooder is not heating any higher than 84 degrees. I am using three thermometers, and they all agree. I have been wanting to pull him for three days, and I won't get into all the insanity all happening at the same time that has prevented that from happening. It is an aviquarium10 by avitech, and i have emailed them but no response so far. I thought about fostering him to another pair that has chicks the same age, but I'm not sure how the second pair would react to the addition of a chick, especially one that is already struggling, when they already have 4 of their own.

A bit of background, this is the second clutch each for these two pairs. The pair who has the struggling baby laid a huge clutch last time, with several infertile eggs toward the end and then one fertile egg for the last. The "foster" pair laid an infertile egg the same day, and I switched them. Two chicks from the pair in question failed to thrive and died, including the one fostered to the other parent. I am afraid this is happening again. The vet gave them clean bills of health, but if they have another hih rate of failure this time I won't breed them again. But I still want to save this baby! 

So with all that background, I need a brooder. Any ideas for emergency brooders with good temperature control? Or other ideas? I'm hesitant to assist feed because I have seen that lead to parents rejecting chicks who don't cry out for food. This little guy is getting fed, just seems like maybe he isn't geqtting enough? Or something else is wrong? Any suggestions are welcome.


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## Kiwi (May 12, 2013)

I saw on a Chicken forum that a bunch of instant handwarmers are good in an emergency. Hot water bottles or hot water in a glass jar that you can wrap up and place in a cardboard box. Some people say you can cuddle them and they get heat that way, but eventually you have to get up and leave so that is in an emergency.

srtiels, she is awesome, has a post on one I just found. Follow the link below to read instructions on it: the Cobra Heat Mats (T-Rex products) for a brooder. They can also be found in the reptile section of Petsmart.
http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=13330


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## Darkel777 (Jun 7, 2013)

I have never found anything more reliable than ceramic heaters or light bulb heaters. I have experimented with heat mats and aquarium heaters. Nothing is better than a lamp kit plugged into a thermostat.


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