Heat source for brooder and MHP, need your advice please!

[missypebble]

With a heat pad, do NOT provide another heat source - the chicks must be able to escape the heat and that's what the regular unheated airspace is for. While it's tempting to coddle chicks, your house temperatures are already well higher than my outside temperatures, where my chicks have been with the

no, temps are only for heat lamps (which are fire hazards, inefficient power consumers, And make chicks feather out slower).
The colder your chicks get In their ambient conditions while still having a MHP to warm up the stronger they will be. They are clearly active and happy all the time, and go under the heat pad to get warm when needed. Typically at night - In the day time they only spend a few minutes per hour under it. Insane to think that they might be kept in a heat lamp that whole time!

Also not sure how you're measuring the temperature of the pad, but the heat pad works by direct contact, not by raising ambient air temperature, so using a regular thermometer won't tell you anything. You'd need something that can tell you surface temperature... or do the simple thing: touch the pad, does it feel pretty warm but not scorchingly hot? That's what you want to aim for. Each week or so, turn it down a notch, until it's off - they should be off heat by 3-4 weeks, depending on the temps you're transitioning them into.

With a heat pad, do NOT provide another heat source - the chicks must be able to escape the heat and that's what the regular unheated airspace is for. While it's tempting to coddle chicks, your house temperatures are already well higher than my outside temperatures, where my chicks have been with their heating pad since 2 days old.

Also not sure how you're measuring the temperature of the pad, but the heat pad works by direct contact, not by raising ambient air temperature, so using a regular thermometer won't tell you anything. You'd need something that can tell you surface temperature... or do the simple thing: touch the pad, does it feel pretty warm but not scorchingly hot? That's what you want to aim for. Each week or so, turn it down a notch, until it's off - they should be off heat by 3-4 weeks, depending on the temps you're transitioning them into.

I forgot to answer your question and you are perfectly right to point out... I did “measure” the MHP by placing the thermometer under it so as you pointed out, that isn’t correct and I’m grateful you immediately caught that!

 

[missypebble]

Honestly my heating pad doesn't get all that hot anymore, even at highest setting. The chicks felt plenty toasty when they pop out, so it's warm enough.

And correct, no other heat source. And depending on size of brooder I would have food and water away from the heat pad, but not TOO far away.

As seen below, heat pad on left, water on right, this is about to 9 sq ft with 4 chicks. Chicks here are 2-3 days old, brooded outdoors, 60-70 F daytime and 45-50 F at night.

View attachment 2177563

Ah, got it! I feel so stupid now! I am truly grateful for this! This helps clears everything I’ve been wondering about the heat source and the MHP. I feel so much better!

 

[missypebble]

correct, no other heat sources

my chick set up, out in the coop. When I took this picture it was about 35 degrees out.

Thank you so much!
i admit, I think I made a huge mistake by providing another heat source and that explains why my last 2 chicks didn’t make it. Please trust me, I’m in lots of pain over it. I didn’t want to post the questions, but I didn’t want to make the same mistake.

 

[missypebble]

correct, no other heat sources

my chick set up, out in the coop. When I took this picture it was about 35 degrees out.

I’m sorry, not trying to hijack your time, but can I ask why do you put the tray of rocks(?) under the waterer? And, how do you train those chicks to drink from the nipple water? I saw them tried, but they got lazy and didn’t want to get water from there so I just took it out and gave them a dish of water instead...