Happy day pulling the coop out of the barn.

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https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/yes-you-certainly-can-brood-chicks-outdoors

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/956958/mama-heating-pad-in-the-brooder-picture-heavy-update



I really don't like heat lamps at all, so I'm glad you thought about Mama Heating Pad. I am a firm believe in natural day/night cycles from day one and heat lamps just don't permit that. Also they heat everything around them...walls, floors, bedding, water, food, dust, dander, in addition to heating the entire brooder box, and the chicks really have no place to go out of the heat that isn't just a couple of degrees cooler. If they were under their mom, they'd just dash under for quick warmup then be right back out exploring, no matter what the temperatures were. At night they snuggle down under her in the quiet and the dark, all asleep at the same time. Dunno why we do it so differently and believe it's better for them.
idunno.gif

@aart also has a pseudo- ----- aart, help me out here - major brain um belch! I'm sorry but I totally forgot what it's called to give a link, which is what I intented to do.
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Old age.
 
Thanks Aart an Blooie!! It's obvious you both are passionate about helping others! I love that.

Ok, that's the nudge I needed but Karen (my wife) said I couldn't use her heating pad :/ so off to Walmart I need to go!!

I am going to do the momma heating pad. Should I still do it in the brooder I set up or should I just set it up in the coop? About how wide deep and tall should the cave be for 14 chicks?

Right now there is a foot deep of leaves in there, but I can easily set the brooder across a couple of relocated two by fours for the first couple of weeks. Do you think this will be ok?

Ray.
 
You just do whatever is going to work best in your situation. The great thing about the rules for Mama Heating Pad is that the simpler you keep it, the better off you are! I had 15 chicks under mine, and I used the large heating pad. No set rules on the size - just make a frame and either drape the pad over it or, as many are now doing, inside the frame secured with bungees and the whole thing wrapped in a pillowcase. Keeps chicks from getting caught up between the frame and the pad. I usually start with the frame about 5-6 inches in the front, sloping down as it goes back so that the pad actually touches or just about touches the chicks' backs for the first week or so. After that simply increasing the arch in the frame allows growing room.

It will take up about 2 square feet in your brooder, so bear that in mind when you are deciding where to put it. Good luck! Keep us posted!
 
I think the flat configuration is more efficient at heat transfer than the curved cave, as they like to put their backs right up against the pad especially in the first week.
From all the cave configurations I've seen, some are very complicated, I still like my setup the best, the latest iteration with the board on top....I like simple.
You'll figure the best way for you tho.
 
This should work ok. I am finding it needs to be covered to keep the heat in. By making the front opening smaller it seems to hold the heat in better. Chicks are scheduled for next week delivery.


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