MHP above or below?

[mrkep]

I have been following the threads about the MHP brooder and thought I had it figured out, then i saw that someone had done it with the heating pad on the top of the cave. When a chicken broods chicks, she sits on them, hence the heat comes from above. So maybe the pad should be above? Blooie has had good results with it below so maybe it is just a preference thing. I am probably thinking too much but what does everyone else think? Chicks won't be here until April so I have time.
mrkep

 

[BBZZZZTT]

I believe this thread references the heating pad being the top of the cave, so above the chicks.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...d-in-the-brooder-picture-heavy-update.956958/

 

[EggSighted4Life]

As far as I know the heating pad should be above the cave (or form the cave part)... even the one I saw from @Blooie. And when the chicks get a little bigger they hang out on top sometimes too.... Which I see them doing to their broody mom's as well. Nothing quite as cute as seeing a chick ride it's mom around!

I saw a friend with the heat pad on bottom (under the chicks not under the frame) and let her know the other way would work better. Don't know if she changed it or not though. So she got her info somewhere else too. Must be more common than I realize.

 

[Molpet]

I think it was on top of the frame and then it was on the inside of the frame... still above the chicks but they could press right up against the covered pad.
people put it on either side of the wire frame though and have good results..
the side of the pad with writing seems to be the warmer side of the pad.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Are you asking if the pad should be attached to the top or bottom of the frame...but still be above the chicks either way? As long as the pad is above the chicks at a height that is appropriate (chicks can make contact with their back), it does not matter if the pad off on the bottom or top of the frame.
My mhp uses a cookie rack and the pad is fixed on top of the rack....the chicks go under the rack and contact the heat through the grid of the rack

I could attach the pad to the underside of the frame, but this is the way I prefer it

 

[blackdog043]

What Ol Grey said That's they way I do it also, pad on top of rack.

 

[ChickNanny13]

I put mine under the metal frame, over the chicks ... Yes they end up going on top after a couple weeks while some still prefter under. Which ever works ... I have read some are using it on the "floor", that would get too messy (poo) for me ...

 

[Smuvers Farm]

Ours has always sat IN the top, the making of a heating pad sammich.... the top *bread*was a piece of cardboard, the middle *meat* is the MHP and the bottom *bread* was a wire frame. We could then bend to raise and lower this as the chicks age or the room temp required. This also kept chickie poop from getting on the MHP AND kept the wiring out of the way. When we moved the chickies out of the brooder, the MHP goes into the washer and all other parts get disposed of or disinfected.