whats the best way to keep baby warm ?

[Gracie]

It is COLD here right now, I looked fo rmini foal blankets newborn size and all are to large for her, I made her a polar fleece temp one but i dont think its enough. we dont have a heated barn and its cold Im worried fo rher she shivers now and then specially when sleeping. And thing I can do >

 

[Bess Kelly]

Double the fleece?

Lots of deep straw/hay bedding....gets it fluffed around them and it helps hold heat, breaks wind, etc. Be sure to pile some around the bottom edges of the stall if there is any opening where air comes in, especially at the stall door this often happens....remember they are laying a lot.

If you have a really "open" stall, hang tarps outside of it to keep the body heat from the mom & foal contained. Have an overhead light socket? Use a 100 watt bulb, it will help heat the stall air but only good if you can minimize air movement where it is........do not lower to where it can touch any straw, horses, etc.......obviously, close all barn doors, etc.

It does take a couple of days for a foals system to be able to regulate it's own temps well.

 

[Gracie]

we have the bulb and the stall ONLY had openings around the top 5 inches and above door so I put plastic over all those to block wind I also took a large sheet of plastic and put OUTSIDE stall door to block any wind there,

I have them bedded in soft Hay and EVERYTIME I try fluffin some around baby horse mama IMMEDIATELY comes and paws it away,

What kind of heat lamps do you all use??? just the LARGE red bulb or ????

P.S> Thank You Bess Kelly, it;s almost 3 a.m here and I LOVE that I can get answers most any time of day.

I appreciate your response.

 

[KAYO]

Hi, We use the red bulbs and right now have two in the stall, the babies get used to finding the warm spot and lay under them. We also had a real nice quilted dog blanket that was small enough for the foals and we used it as a pattern for the polar fleeces we made up. Our foal was born late January and it was cold here and we doubled up the fleece and added the quilted blanket for a couple days and then weaned him down to two and then one and now none. Deep bedding does help a lot. Hopefully the weather will break soon.

Maybe get the foal to moving a little will help to warm her/him up???

 

[evedex]

Yes, double the fleece and when I make foal blankets, I at a "T" to them of fleece that attaches at the chest, runs through the legs and wraps around the chest and up the sides of the blanket...keeps a lot of heat in that can be lost at the chest and around the barrel. I think they are a lot warmer than with just their backs covered. Also I think that just a chest band isn't as warm for them as when it is also attached to the chest area...I use velcro to do the blanket up.

Then I hang one or two red bulb heatlamp units near the warmest corner...make sure you don't just hang a bare bulb but get one of those metal units they sell for brooding chicks...safety factor!!! And make sure the unit is high enough so that mom can't poke it with her nose.

 

[sfmini]

We have a Kalglo radiant heater that is wonderful. Problem is, the mommies like to stand right under it too.

They aren't cheap, but ours has paid for itself over the years.

 

[Sue S]

Last May I had a foal born and just put a fleece blanket on her but this month I should have one born and it is cold here, I made 2 quilt blankets using another foal blanket I bought using it as a pattern, you can make it larger or smaller, also I went out and bought a heavy child size fleece vest at goodwell and if its to cold I will put that on it to.

 

[Hosscrazy]

Just checking back - how is she doing?

Liz R.

 

[Katiean]

I had a big horse foal born on Feb 4th when I lived in Utah. That year it had warmed up to 4 degrees the night she was born. I put my down vest on her because I didn't have a foal blanket. But, maybe for your little one you could put a dog sweater on under the blanket.

 

[Gracie]

Well I went out and spent the coldest part of the night with baby. doubled her fleece and sat there with a plug in heater trying to warm the stall, which i took with me when I left, Today the heat lamps go in no matter what

Thanks for all the help maybe plays hard but sleeps alot and so cold, I feel awful, will make T blanket today thanks,

 

[cjmm10]

Go to your goodwill or thrift store and buy childrens sweatshirts. Works great. Put several shirts on her.

Works for us

 

[Miniv]

Go to your goodwill or thrift store and buy childrens sweatshirts. Works great. Put several shirts on her.

Works for us

Ditto with the kids' sweatshirts.......We cut the arms short and cut a "V" up in the belly area so the navel isn't rubbing. We've also used small dog sweaters and coats from Petco or Pet Smart. If it's REALLY cold I've put a sweatshirt underneath and topped it with a doggie jacket.