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

[bruceha2000]

Yes, I lost a bet to @sunflour as to whose Welsummer would lay second. This was after she lost the same bet when Veronica laid first. STILL waiting for Betty to lay I'm pretty sure Trill finally laid her first egg yesterday.

You might be able to find Blooie's address on Whitepages.com.

 

[NNYchick]

I need help finding something. Well researching brooding I found a thread or article where someone made a hanging MHP that hung on chain that could be lowered or raised. I have searched everything I can think of and its not coming up. Does anyone know what I am looking for and have the link for it. Thank You

 

[casportpony]

I need help finding something. Well researching brooding I found a thread or article where someone made a hanging MHP that hung on chain that could be lowered or raised. I have searched everything I can think of and its not coming up. Does anyone know what I am looking for and have the link for it. Thank You

I remember seeing that, but I don't remember where.

 

[Molpet]

I need help finding something. Well researching brooding I found a thread or article where someone made a hanging MHP that hung on chain that could be lowered or raised. I have searched everything I can think of and its not coming up. Does anyone know what I am looking for and have the link for it. Thank You

yes someone in this thread did that, but I am not sure who...maybe @aart or they remember who

 

[NotAFarm]

I saw it, too. Had to be here since I don't go to many threads.

 

[casportpony]

I think the ones you can buy are called Sweeter Heaters?

 

[casportpony]

Was this it?

So, I had an idea and I ran with it. I'm a little more than 3 weeks from being able to test things out, but I wanted to go ahead and share what I came up with for my in-coop brooder (whenever we actually finish the build!).

Keeping in mind about having both ends open and struggling a little with how best to raise the first MHP I cobbled together, I decided on one that would be held up by chains so it could be raised/lowered easily. Here, have some pics so you can see what I'm talking about

We've used so much wood in the ArithmaChick House that there were plenty of scraps to choose from. Here's the basic frame.


In this photo, the top of the frame is actually on the ground. I took some eye bolts and screwed them into the wood, then attached carabiners.


Just a close up


I snagged this 16x20 baking rack off Amazon for around $16. It's pretty sturdy and I think it'll handle a bunch of chicks standing on it with no problems.


The baking rack has the little hook loops to keep it lifted off of whatever surface it sits on. I took advantage of these and hooked the carabiners onto those. The chain allows for the whole thing to go pretty low so new chicks can huddle right in. I also took some scrap cardboard and placed it over the rack, both to hold in some heat and to be something disposable when they do start hopping up and pooping on it.


The heating pad will be installed on the underside here.


This is the relative location for it in the in-coop brooder.


I tried to make it in such a way to minimize movement of the baking rack/heating pad.


It'll be much lower for day old chicks and I can move the stand forward a bit to make sure there's room in the back to get out initially.


It also has the real possibility of becoming a roost when they get really adventurous!

I hope this works and will report back once I have babies under it

 

[NotAFarm]

That's the one I remember!

 

[Birdinhand]

That's the one I remember!

I was thinking of doing the hanging version but I didn't want it swinging around once the chicks starting sitting on it. so I went with the long bolts that could be adjusted. here are some picks.https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...-suburban-meat-bird-production.1115689/page-6

 

[kate2008]

I have to join in the fun. We just got chicks on Tuesday and I decided to brood in a corner of the run underneath my coop with a mama bird heating pad and the panic door set up. This area usually hold some extra nest boxes in the summer time so I already had a little access door built right in.

I was worried sick the first night when it got down to 40 degrees but all is well. I am never going back. They are still have to be coaxed into the cave at night but I am sure it won't take long for them to learn the ropes. It is so nice not to have these little fuzz balls in the house.

This is the corner partitioned off for the brooder.

This is the view from inside the coop.

And this is the view from the outside access door.

They were all cozied under the heating pad when I took these pics so of course I had to make a video!