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The pad covers are washable. And the pad itself can be wiped clean.

Doesn't matter one bit.

How many layers are there between the pad and the chicks? I'd scale it back to just the pillow case. You aren't trying to hold heat in the cave. That's not how this works. It's the chicks making contact with the pad that warms them.

Just watch your chicks and make your adjustments based on their behavior. Forget rules and guidelines. Every batch of chicks is different. You'll just have to figure out for these guys what is just right for them.

Missing the point. You aren't trying to trap heat in the cave. The chicks must be able to make contact with the pad. That is how they get warmed. Not by simply being in the 'cave', but by snuggling up directly against the pad.

Chicks huddle at night for a sense of security. It's just normal behavior for young birds. I've got 12 week olds out in the coop that still huddle in a pile rather than roost

If they are on top, it's probably too warm for them under.

You may need a bigger box. The chicks need to be able to exit the pad from the front and the back. And there should be enough room around the sides of the pad for chicks to move around and not get trapped.

If they aren't really using it anymore, it's time to remove it.

Go to your local hardware store and pick up some long bolts and washers. Bricks are not going to cut it.

Is that a wire basket for a frame? How are the chicks going to make contact with the pad? How are you going to adjust it as they grow? The two key elements of brooding chicks with this method are that the frame must be adjustable, and the chicks must be able to make contact with the pad.

They are used to light 24/7. The sudden change in light probably has them a bit freaked out. They will adjust. And they will acclimate to their new heat source and the cooler ambient temps of the brooder.

I used it for ducklings just a few weeks ago. They used it pretty consistently for the first week. By the time they were about 2.5 weeks old, they had stopped using it entirely, preferring an unheated cardboard huddle box. They moved outside to their coop at 3 weeks.

Don't worry too much. Keep it simple. You just need something to keep the poo off the heating pad. It doesn't have to be fancy or complicated.

Not really understanding what it is you are trying to ask. Once it's setup, you just put the chicks under. As they grow, you adjust the height. As they feather in, you reduce the setting on the pad. Pretty darn simple.

Chicks are in the top part, rabbits live in the bottom portion. Sides are hardware cloth, with a few wood support pieces. The chick most likely crashed into a wood support and broke it's neck. Death was very quick. And there is absolutely nothing that could have prevented it. My brooder set up...

Just when you think you've seen every possible way for a chick to commit suicide...

Just had a 3 week old chick die. Pretty sure it launched itself off the heating pad and crashed into the side of the brooder. They've been really rambunctious today. Most of them have been jumping off the heating pad all day long. Heard a commotion, went and checked and there was the chick...

Chicks get warmed by the heating pad just like they would when raised by a hen, snuggling up and making direct contact. The worst thing you can do to chicks is make the WHOLE brooder 80 to 90 degrees, like heat lamps do. They must be able to get away from the heat if they need to.

Depends on if they are straight out of the incubator or if they are a few days old from a feed store. About an inch is perfect for just hatched babies or bantams. Feed store chicks are a few days older and bigger. That's why I expressed concern. 2x4s aren't very adjustable.