Confused about heating sources for brooder

If you will have chicks regularly, spend the money on something along the line of the Brinsea EcoGlow. Chicks love it and you do not have to worry about over heating or any other issue from using a heat lamp.
If you do not plan to have chicks regularly then use the heat lamp. I have used both. I prefer the EcoGlow type brooder. They are spendy, but I love it so much I have multiple (not all Brinsea).
Do you have a preference to the brooder types? brinsea vs thermobrooder? or other?
 
All my chicks are broody-hen raised. The chicks often scurry in and out from underneath mama hen, going back under her feathers if they need to warm up. The chicks always sleep underneath her at night to stay warm. The mama heating pad simulates an actual mama hen. The chicks dont need to be at a constant temperature all the time. Both a real mama hen and the mama heating pad allow chicks to quickly warm up if they feel too cold.
I'm making a MHP right now, but I don't know how high or low to arch the fencing that I cut. The chicks are about 2-4 days old. (I got them on Sat., & they appeared to be over a day old then, from TSC.) Do you have any suggestions? Should I place a thermometer underneath and check that way, or measure a certain amount of headspace for them as they're walking in or lying down?
 
I'm making a MHP right now, but I don't know how high or low to arch the fencing that I cut. The chicks are about 2-4 days old. (I got them on Sat., & they appeared to be over a day old then, from TSC.) Do you have any suggestions? Should I place a thermometer underneath and check that way, or measure a certain amount of headspace for them as they're walking in or lying down?

No need for a thermometer, just use your hand to make sure it's operating correctly (evenly warm throughout).

As far as the height, at the lowest they should be able to sit while touching/nearly touching the HMP, and at the highest, be able to stand and touch/nearly touch it. If it's too low, you can prop up 2 or 4 legs on scrap wood or bricks, depending on how high you need it, and if it's too high, adding more bedding under it will help make up the difference. You'll need to adjust it as they grow.
 
No need for a thermometer, just use your hand to make sure it's operating correctly (evenly warm throughout).

As far as the height, at the lowest they should be able to sit while touching/nearly touching the HMP, and at the highest, be able to stand and touch/nearly touch it. If it's too low, you can prop up 2 or 4 legs on scrap wood or bricks, depending on how high you need it, and if it's too high, adding more bedding under it will help make up the difference. You'll need to adjust it as they grow.
One other thing: I'm so surprised that any kind of plastic wrap (Press n Seal, Saran Wrap, and - in Aart's version - a sheet of plastic) is able to be placed right up against the heating pad in many models, including the one I first read of, which Blooie wrote of. Makes me nervous. But it must all be ok and safe... Any thoughts on that or special considerations? The heating pad must not kick out enough heat to cause an issue?
 
One other thing: I'm so surprised that any kind of plastic wrap (Press n Seal, Saran Wrap, and - in Aart's version - a sheet of plastic) is able to be placed right up against the heating pad in many models, including the one I first read of, which Blooie wrote of. Makes me nervous. But it must all be ok and safe... Any thoughts on that or special considerations? The heating pad must not kick out enough heat to cause an issue?

Correct. The heat pad (unless malfunctioning) never heats up enough to melt/soften/damage the plastic. At the highest setting, I'd wager a heat pad gets in the low 100s as far as temperature, which is well below what it would take to affect plastic wraps.
 
Hello!

I am completely new at this--planning on ordering 15 chicks, and I am preparing the brooder. I have a few items that were given to me, but I am getting a bit confused with all the different types of heat sources and whether what I have is actually appropriate for the brooder or whether I need to go get something else.
I should I also mention that I have already read several threads about heat plates and heating pads etc. before asking these questions, so I am asking things that I could not find the answers to already in the recent threads.

Here is what I currently have:

--I have a 1.5 x 3' plastic tub for the initial brooder when they are very young in the first few weeks along with some textured shelf liner/paper towels
--I have a 250 watt red bulb (in the box) and metal work light clamp
--I also have a Thermo-Chicken heating pad from K&H. This is different apparently than the Thermo-Peep and also than the Thermo-Brooder Heat Plate that they sell...the website for K&H recommends using a Thermo Heat Plate to heat them from above for the first week or two, then the Thermo-peep heat mat, it doesn't mention the Thermo-Chicken pad at all, even though if you go to that item on their website it says that item 'helps chicks stay warm following birth'. But it seems as though maybe that chicken pad is actually for warming adult chickens when the temperatures get low? link here: https://khpet.com/products/thermo-chicken-heated-pad?_pos=1&_sid=887c2cda0&_ss=r

So my questions are:
--does this Thermo-chicken mat have a place in the brooder? If not, I like the idea of simulating the broody hen with a heat plate, but I already have a lamp--but I have read that this can often be too much heat, and it seems unnatural to have red light on them 24/7. Do people find that they are getting enough heat with the heat plate and how do you measure and adjust this when there are no attached temperature controls to any of these pads, plates, or lamps? (If you are supposed to do 95, then 90, then 85 degrees etc) I mean I can always use a surface temp thermometer (like for my compost), but what if I am not there for a few hours or overnight? Does anyone heat the bottom of the brooder with a heating pad and then give them the option of the heat plate in addition to this, and then expose them to natural light (rather than a lamp) during the day?
--I have looked at the Mama Heating Pad thread--but this seems a bit ambitious for me to attempt initially, and I am still a bit confused about how the chicks would stay warm if they are outside of the cave--it will be 65 degrees ambient temp in the area we are raising them.

Thanks, sorry for the beginner questions!
Where are you putting your brooder?
Mine is in the house, actually in my office. I have a Producer's Pride brooder heater plate for 8 chicks and the ambient room temp set at about 80 the first week. Their activity lets me know if the room is too cold or hot. It's now their second week and the room temp is about 75 degrees. they spend all day running around the brooder, climbing on dowels and scratching in a lasagna pan full of play sand.
The last two times I brooded chicks, I used a red heat lamp and thermometer. This time I am skipping the red light and finding a heater plate in a warm room much easier.
As for space, I think you will need a bigger brooder fairly quickly. My chicks are in a 6'x4' brooder my husband made - and while that seems enormous for 8 chicks, they cover every inch of it constantly. They get a lot of exercise and play - and the space is tall enough for them to practice flying until six weeks.
 
I used the Thermo Chicken heat pad for my broiler chicks - 21 chicks in the brooder out in the barn. I put a "cave" over the pad for the first 2 weeks, but once they started feathering out, they didn't need the cover anymore. The cave was simply a bathroom towel set on a wire rack.

I got them on April 6th and the temps were still dropping to at or below freezing at night - the days were only in the 40s for highs. They were happy, energetic chicks - zipping around from food to water to cave. They would stand at the "window" and look out at the big world of barn stall between other tasks. Dash into the cave to warm up and them back out to run around again.
 
I used the Thermo Chicken heat pad for my broiler chicks - 21 chicks in the brooder out in the barn. I put a "cave" over the pad for the first 2 weeks, but once they started feathering out, they didn't need the cover anymore. The cave was simply a bathroom towel set on a wire rack.

I got them on April 6th and the temps were still dropping to at or below freezing at night - the days were only in the 40s for highs. They were happy, energetic chicks - zipping around from food to water to cave. They would stand at the "window" and look out at the big world of barn stall between other tasks. Dash into the cave to warm up and them back out to run around again.
@wyoDreamer this one?
How big is it?
Would you post pics of how you set it up?
 
My Sapphire Gem is the sweetest and easiest going of my chicks!

OP, I too am new to chick raising and have found a heat lamp to be the cheapest option...BUT the next round of chicks I raise, I will get a brooder heating plate, or construct a way for it to hang above. Trying to find the right temp for the brooder was a real pain when we first brought the chicks home and set it up. I messed with that darn thing for a week trying to get the perfect temp, I had to clamp it onto a 5 gallon bucket outside of the brooder. It feels safer now that we've had it going for a while, but I'm still not entirely comfortable with it.
I understand! I never leave home for more that 4 hrs at a time with that lamp on! Definitely didnt consider this before getting the chicks! I use a little digital laser gun temp thingy. Just point and pull the trigger for the digital read out.
🐥 ❤️
 

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