Mama Heating Pad in the Brooder (Picture Heavy) - UPDATE

[MonicainAZ]

After watching the chicks for several days, staying under the MHP and not coming out to eat or drink much, I decided to put a heat lamp on them today. What a world of difference. They are out and about, eating and drinking, and sleeping!

I have noticed the same thing, and have been wondering why this would be. I wonder if it is the extra LIGHT that is making a difference, not extra heat? I started thinking about this especially because I live in AZ, where even at night my garage probably doesn't get below 80 right now. Why could they possibly be too cold??? If anything I am worried about frying them under the heat lamp during the day!!

Well, possibly, they aren't cold. While the garage does have a window, the bottom line is it's pretty dim in there even with the normal lights on, compared to being outdoors. I am going to try getting a non-heat lamp and see what difference that makes. It will be a chicken grow light, haha

 

[gottecat]

So camein to check on chicks this morning. My heating pad had turned off either we had a power bump or kids messed with the auto off. But the chicks were all snuggled together and they are all fine. Were happy to get it warm again though
Was glad they are in garage not outsude. It rained like a demon last night too....hopefully will get their big out side brooder built over the weekend and then they will be outside. Got the pillow case put on too.

 

[lazy gardener]

One thing I did with mine was to use electrical tape to tape the cord connection together b/c it seemed to be a sloppy fit/at risk of being pulled out.

 

[perchie.girl]

One thing I did with mine was to use electrical tape to tape the cord connection together b/c it seemed to be a sloppy fit/at risk of being pulled out.

That Also keeps dust out of the connection even if it isn't a sloppy fit.

 

[trudyg]

I tend to look at everything concerning the chicks as I would concerning a toddler. Get down and look around--can they get wedged somewhere? can they put things in their mouth that would choke/harm them? Will they peck at the power cord (mine has a red power light, so I make sure that's covered). Saying that, mine have had the heat lamp since I wasn't here to cave train them. I've put them under the heating pad every night at dusk (temp in coop around 60) but they come running out and hover under the heat lamp--even when it is off! I've been turning it off once the ambient air temp rises in the day, but they know the lamp gives heat and that's where they go--and pile up on each other. I usually break down around 9 and turn on the heat lamp.

 

[lazy gardener]

Trudy. What would happen if you put the heating pad over on the end where the heat lamp is? Or keep the lamp turned off, and put the heating pad under the lamp? How old are they now? How many? My chicks (22 of them) hatched in early May, and brooded outdoos only used the heating pad a couple of nights. After that, they'd pig pile in the corner, and seemed perfectly content with that. I put my hand over them one night to check, and it was like rubbing a warm plush electric blanket. Or you can just give up on this batch, give them their lamp, but work at weaning them off it, including turning it off for a couple of hours/day, and not turning it back on till they ask for it (if you're home). You can then start them out next time with just the HP.

 

[trudyg]

Thanks, Lazy Gardener. I'm going to keep trying to back off on the heat lamp and push them to the heating pad. They were piling on each other last night when I turned on the heat lamp, but I suppose they may have eventually gone to the pad, who knows. It was cool in the coop, 58 or so, when I did it. maybe they just weren't cool enough yet to move toward the heat? Crazy. I seriously think they would use the pad before they were harmed by the cold. They are 9 days old and several are already sitting on the roost during the day.

 

[lazy gardener]

You might try not giving them the heat lamp tomorrow evening. Spend some time with them. When they start complaining, shove them under the HP. Have you put a thermometer under there? If it's around 80 - 85, it should be just fine. Once it's dark, chickens don't move much. So, if you have enough time to spare, and enough patience... if you wait them out, and keep shoving them under, when it gets dark, they SHOULD stay there. But, this will need to be your choice, and don't do it unless you are totally on board with it, and willing to check on them to see to it that they stay there.

 

[Fuzzymilo]

Hi guys. My chicks are about three weeks old and loving the heat pad cave I fashioned for them. I'm just wondering, it gets down to the mid-sixties at night and I'm not sure they're sleeping under the pad. Should I trust them or go out after dark and shove them under the pad?

 

[Fuzzymilo]

Also, at what age do they start roosting instead of huddling in the corner to sleep?