Heating pad

[Teetees-blueeggers]

New chicks are on the way.
Can I put the heating pad under the wood shaving. I already have lamp. She i use both
Ty all.

 

[azygous]

No. One or the other, not both. You are not heating the brooder. You are providing a heat source for the chicks to restore lost body heat that isn't being replaced by food calories alone.

Ambient temperature plays a big role. If someone is raising chicks in the tropics or south Texas, chicks may not even need a heat source if the ambient temp matches their body temp. That would cause the chicks to lose no body heat if it's 100F.

Even at 70F, chicks may not need heat during the day as long as they are consuming calories. It's all an issue of how much body heat a chick will lose according to how cold it is. Too much heat is worse than too little.

If you use a heating pad instead of an overhead lamp, the chicks will utilize the heat much better if they can crawl under the pad and warm from direct contact with it, but never use any heating pad without the cloth cover to diffuse the heat or the chick can get burned.

 

[ChickNanny13]

I use a welded wire frame that I can raise/lower. Wrap the heating pad in a pillow case works, bungee it to secure to the frame. The heating pad should NOT have an automatic shut off ... SunBeam Heating Pad 732-500 (12x24) and 731-500 (12x15) both don't have the auto shut off, draw about 40 - 50watt and temps are 90/95/100 (L M H) ... Just my notes; I only use the L/90 setting and by 2wk they'll be on top

 

[Teetees-blueeggers]

I use a welded wire frame that I can raise/lower. Wrap the heating pad in a pillow case works, bungee it to secure to the frame. The heating pad should NOT have an automatic shut off ... SunBeam Heating Pad 732-500 (12x24) and 731-500 (12x15) both don't have the auto shut off, draw about 40 - 50watt and temps are 90/95/100 (L M H) ... Just my notes; I only use the L/90 setting and by 2wk they'll be on top

Ty thats what i needed idea.

 

[Bertie-Merle]

No. One or the other, not both. You are not heating the brooder. You are providing a heat source for the chicks to restore lost body heat that isn't being replaced by food calories alone.

Ambient temperature plays a big role. If someone is raising chicks in the tropics or south Texas, chicks may not even need a heat source if the ambient temp matches their body temp. That would cause the chicks to lose no body heat if it's 100F.

Even at 70F, chicks may not need heat during the day as long as they are consuming calories. It's all an issue of how much body heat a chick will lose according to how cold it is. Too much heat is worse than too little.

If you use a heating pad instead of an overhead lamp, the chicks will utilize the heat much better if they can crawl under the pad and warm from direct contact with it, but never use any heating pad without the cloth cover to diffuse the heat or the chick can get burned.

Great post with a great description. Well done! Thanks for these types of clear and educational response!

 

[LovOutdoors]

No. One or the other, not both. You are not heating the brooder. You are providing a heat source for the chicks to restore lost body heat that isn't being replaced by food calories alone.

Ambient temperature plays a big role. If someone is raising chicks in the tropics or south Texas, chicks may not even need a heat source if the ambient temp matches their body temp. That would cause the chicks to lose no body heat if it's 100F.

Even at 70F, chicks may not need heat during the day as long as they are consuming calories. It's all an issue of how much body heat a chick will lose according to how cold it is. Too much heat is worse than too little.

If you use a heating pad instead of an overhead lamp, the chicks will utilize the heat much better if they can crawl under the pad and warm from direct contact with it, but never use any heating pad without the cloth cover to diffuse the heat or the chick can get burned.

Hello,

We are getting 4 baby chicks from Crackle on July 10th. I live in northern NM where the daytime temperatures are in the 80s during the day and in the 50s at night. We have a small 4 x 6 coop that I want to use for the MHP method. What setting on the heating pad would you suggest for these temperatures?

We also have a larger 12 x 6 coop that 8 almost 3 yr old hens roost in at night. They free range in our backyard during the day and will be able to see the baby chicks, but will not have access to the small coop. We plan to integrate them when the chicks get older.

Thank you for any advise on this topic.

 

[azygous]

You have ideal brooding temps. The chicks won't need to struggle to maintain body heat. Install the heating pad cave and set it to the second highest heat setting for the first week. Then don't be surprise if the chicks use the heat only at night and very little during the day.

 

[LovOutdoors]

Thank you so much for your help on this!

 

[MIchickenlady]

I use a welded wire frame that I can raise/lower. Wrap the heating pad in a pillow case works, bungee it to secure to the frame. The heating pad should NOT have an automatic shut off ... SunBeam Heating Pad 732-500 (12x24) and 731-500 (12x15) both don't have the auto shut off, draw about 40 - 50watt and temps are 90/95/100 (L M H) ... Just my notes; I only use the L/90 setting and by 2wk they'll be on top

I bent an old cookie cooling rack, covered it with a heat pad that stays on with 6 levels, covered that with Press N Seal wrap, I have a heat plate on the bottom covered with puppy pad, and I cover the top heating pad with a puppy pad also. I stick a small indoor thermometer inside the heating pad cave and lower the setting down 1 every week. I LOVE this method!! The lamp method scares me.

 

[Flock In Texas]

I don't have any pictures and I sold all of my chicken stuff in the divorce, but I used a 5 gallon bucket. I cut an opening in the side and drilled holes all around the top of the upside down bucket. I used paracord to make a net to support the heating pad in the ceiling of the bucket. I put wood chips in until the chips were about 6-8 inches below the heating pad. As they get older, you can dig out some of the wood chips. This lets them grow with it and go in and out to get heat as needed or get out if they are too hot. You need a heating pad that stays on all of the time and decide which heat level you need. I use a temperature gun to measure the temperature in the bucket. I installed a switched outlet in the coop so I could turn it on and off as needed with a light switch. I had chicks staying outside in 35 degree weather with no problems. They just huddled in the bucket when needed.

I had a brooding area in the coop with a grazing area below the tractor just for the chicks, accessible by a trap door ramp. Big chickens jumped out the front door about 3 feet off the ground. When the chicks were old enough, I would integrate them.